>     JAN  19  1905      * 


A   SERMON 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 


Paine  ^Motiarg  gbtietjj 


AT  PORTLAND,  JUNE  27,   1865 


ANNUAL    REPORTS 


TRUSTEES  AND  TREASURER. 


BX7I44 

•  M£A7 

1865 


■      SERMON 


PREACHED  AT  THE  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE 


MAINE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 


PORTLAND,    JUNE    27,    1865. 


I  BY   REV.    JOHN    C.    ADAMS, 


FALMOPTH. 


PORTLAND: 

PRESS    OF    BROWN    THURSTON   &   CO. 

1865. 


SERMON. 


Amos  vili  :   n  and  12. 

Behold  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  send  a  famine 

IN  THE  LAND;  NOT  A  FAMINE  OF  BREAD,  NOR  A  THIRST  FOR  WATER, 
BUT  OF  HEARING  THE  WORDS  OF  THE  LORD  :  AND  THEY  SHALL  WANDER 
FROM  SEA  TO  SEA,  AND  FROM  THE  NORTH  EVEN  TO  THE  EAST;  THEY 
SHALL  RUN  TO  AND  FRO  TO  SEEK  THE  WORD  OF  THE  LORD,  AND  THEY 
SHALL  NOT  FIND  IT. 

The  word  of  the  Lord  is  a  vital  necessity.  A  famine  of 
the  word  is  more  to  be  deprecated  than  a  famine  of  bread, 
by  so  far  as  the  soul  is  worth  more  than  the  body. 

We  have  had  illustration  of  the  evils  attendant  on  such 
destitution,  —  evils  by  no  means  spiritual,  exclusively.  Had 
the  word  of  the  Lord  been  proclaimed  through  the  South 
faithfully  and  fearlessly,  the  rebellion,  with  all  its  stupen- 
dous atrocities,  would  have  been  simply  impossible. 

But  that  word  was  not  proclaimed.  The  fear  of  man 
which  bringeth  a  snare,  the  love  of  praise,  of  ease,  of  gold, 
shut  the  mouths  of  those  who  should  have  warned  the 
people  from  God,  or  opened  them  to  demonstrate  the  divine 
origin  of  slavery,  and  the  perpetual,  binding  obligation  of 
defending  and  spreading  it.  At  length  the  fruit  of  sup- 
pressing and  perverting  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  fully  ripe  ; 
and  to-day  the  South  feeds  on  soot  and  bitter  ashes,  —  and 
the  nation  mourns. 


The  text  speaks  of  a  famine  of  the  word  of  the  Lord  to 
come.  Such  a  famine,  already  wide-spread  in  our  land,  as- 
sumes more  alarming  features,  as  we  contemplate  our  near 
future.  It  will  come,  not  directly  as  a  judgment  from  God's 
hand,  but,  in  part,  as  the  result  of  God's  favor  toward  us, 
in  the  unequalled  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  country, 
and,  especially,  in  the  subjugation  of  the  rebellion. 

One  in-pouring  tide  of  migration  has  been  constantly  set- 
ting westward,  while  the  whole  south,  just  beginning  to  be 
opened  to  free  speech  and  free  institutions,  presents  a  field 
appalling  for  its  vastness  and  its  destitution. 

At  the  same  time,  the  number  of  those  who  should  pro- 
claim the  word  of  the  Lord  is  diminishing,  not  only  rela- 
tively, but  absolutely.  We  cannot  hope  that,  by  any  effort 
now  possible,  the  supply  can  be  made  to  overtake  the  de- 
mand. Multitudes  must  famish  and  die,  —  not  of  a  famine 
of  bread,  or  a  thirst  for  water,  but  of  a  famine  of  hearing 
the  word  of  the  Lord.  Well  for  us  if  the  nation  perish  not. 
That  it  may  not  perish,  let  us  consider  the  means  by  which, 
in  part,  the  deficiency  may  be  supplied,  and,  in  the  end,  the 
demand  overtaken. 

We  will  inquire, 

I.     After  the  sources  of  supply  —  the  material  of  which  min- 
isters are  to  be  made. 

It  is  obvious  and  trite  to  say  that  parents  must  consecrate 
their  sons  to  the  work  of  saving  the  nation  from  that  famine 
of  the  word  of  which,  otherwise,  it  will  die.  Let  none  who 
have  not  dedicated  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word  a  son,  sons, 
if  there  be  sons*to  dedicate,  hold  themselves  guiltless  of  the 
nation's  death,  or  worse,  the  death  of  the  myriad  souls  that 
make  up  the  nation.  Let  none  such,  I  say,  hold  themselves 
guiltless  :   God  will  not. 

There  will  be  dull  scholars  to  be  dismissed  to  secular  pur- 
suits, wayward  boys  who  will  not  be  influenced  ;  there  will 


be  some  who  have  a  decided  call,  in  the  strong  original  bent 
and  constitution  of  their  minds,  to  other  vocations. 

But  who  can  doubt  that,  were  Christian  parents,  (and  all 
parents  are  bound  to  be  Christians)  dismissing  ambition  and 
covetousness,  to  give  their  sons  to  their  country  and  to 
Christ  in  his  gospel,  thousands  who  are  now  lost  to  the  cause 
of  human  salvation,  would  be  secured  to  the  great  work  ? 

Dismissing  ambition  and  covetousness,  I  repeat.  For  it 
cannot  be  questioned  that  the  thirst  for  political  and  social 
distinction,  or  of  wealth,  as  the  children's  portion  —  to  say- 
nothing  of  the  sordid  dread  of  educational  expenses — has 
been,  and  is,  in  many  a  father's,  many  a  mother's  heart,  a 
weighty  objection  to  consenting  that  a  promising  son  (as 
what  parent's  son  is  not  ? )  should  become  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel.  Let  selfish  considerations  be  waived,  and  let  it  be 
the  highest  parental  ambition  to  see  a  son  in  the  ministry,* 
and  a  new  face  would  shortly  be  put  on  our  condition. 

But  the  whole  responsibility  does  not  come  upon  parents. 
Churches  must  look  after  the  young  men  in  their  commun- 
ion, and  see  that  none  of  reasonably  promising  character 
and  qualities  are  allowed  to  subside  into  the  business  of 

*  Here  let  me  introduce  an  extract  from  an  unpublished  autobiography  : 
"It  is  true,  sometimes  I  was  almost  ready  to  lie  down  in  the  furrow  — 
rising,  as  I  frequently  did,  even  in  Summer,  at  day-break  — doing  what 
was  necessary  about  the  house,  taking  my  breakfast,  and  sometimes  walking 
forty  miles  or  more,  without  rest,  returning  at  seven  or  eight  in  the  evening. 
Sometimes,  in  those  days,  when  I  had  become  so  tired  as  to  be  ready  to  give 
up,  the  thought  that  I  might  live  to  see  my  debts  paid,  and  my  children 
educated,  would  give  me  such  a  spring  that  I  would  almost  forget  that  I  had 
a  body.  One  instance,  particularly,  has  often  recurred  to  my  mind  when  I 
have  thought  of  the  way  in  which  God  has  in  mercy  led  me.  I  had  been 
over  to  the  '  Marsh '  through  the  northern  part  of  Prospect,  and  turned 
clown  the  river  towards  Searsport,  where  I  had  business.  I  was  extremely 
tired,  and  thought,  for  the  moment  I  must  give  out.  Just  then,  the  thought 
struck  my  mind,  '  I  shall  yet  see  my  debts  paid,  and  hear  G.  preach  the  gospel.' 
It  gave  me  such  a  start,  that  I  ran  up  the  hill  like  a  school-boy,  and  do  not 
recollect  that  I  felt  tired  again  for  that  day." 

With  such  fathers  there  will  be  no  lack  of  sons  for  the  ministry. 


merely  getting  a  living,  or  getting  rich,  without  a  full  pre- 
sentation of  the  claims  of  the  ministry,  and  adequate  assur- 
ance that,  if  they  will  give  themselves  to  that  high  calling, 
the  church  will  provide  all  needed  assistance.  A  church  of 
one  hundred  members,  and  not  one  preparing  for  the  min- 
istry, ought  to  be  a  rare  exception  to  the  general  rule. 

The  time  ought  soon  to  come  when,  in  the  statistics  of 
our  General  Conference,  there  shall  be  an  added  column  for 
those  who  are  in  an  educational  course  preparatory  to  the 
ministry.  The  time  ought  soon  to  come  when  ciphers  only 
in  that  column,  opposite  the  name  of  a  church  of  any  con- 
siderable numbers,  shall  be  as  uncommon,  almost  as  dis- 
creditable, as  ciphers  only  in  the  column  reporting  donations 
or  Sabbath  School  scholars  would  be  now. 

Is  it  said  that  there  are  many  churches  of  one  hundred 
members  in  which  not  one  can  be  found  adapted  to  the  pur- 
pose ?  The  more  shame,  I  had  almost  said,  for  such  churches. 
But  let  fathers  and  mothers  look  into  their  families,  in  that 
spirit  of  consecration  which  has  been  inculcated,  and  let 
churches  look  into  the  Sabbath  School  for  what  may  be 
found  there,  and  with  the  prayerful,  earnest  purpose  to  turn 
such  material  to  best  account,  and  no  church  will  long  be 
without  some  youthful  representative  among  the  candidates 
for  the  ministry. 

I  go  further,  and  say  that  there  are  young  men,  boys,  not 
as  yet  hopefully  pious,  who  arc,  nevertheless,  so  hopeful  in 
all  natural  qualities  and  endowments,  that  there  is  strong 
probability,  almost  moral  certainty  that,  if  they  are  encour- 
aged, and  put  on  a  course  of  training,  under  proper  auspices 
and  influences,  and  with  such  prayer  as,  in  the  case  sup- 
posed, will  be  offered,  they  will  become  pious  and  preachers 
of  the  gospel ;  and,  being  selected  from  the  very  fact  of  nat- 
ural adaptedness  preceding  all  spiritual  gifts,  they  will  make 
the  best  class  of  ministers. 

But  suppose  that  half  of  them  stop  short  in  some  secular 


pursuit  —  as  they  will  not.  Not  every  officer  educated  at 
the  nation's  cost  is  a  Grant,  a  Sherman,  a  Howard.  And 
for  those  who  do  not  hear  God's  voice  calling  them  to  the 
ministry,  they  will  make  the  honest  lawyers,  the  pure  states- 
men, the  high-minded  merchants  whom  —  as  we  so  often  hear 
—  we  need  as  well  as  ministers. 

And  their  education  will  pay  —  pay  a  thousand  fold.  Our 
country's  needs  require  any  number  of  educated  men,  men 
educated  at  our  New  England  institutions,  and  under  best 
New  England  influences.     The  people  are  destroyed  for  lack 
of  knowledge  —  not  religious  knowledge  exclusively  —  but 
knowledge  in  political  economy,  in  the  origin  and  nature 
and  objects  of  government,  in  history—  knowledge  in  all  the 
duties  and  responsibilities  devolving  on  citizens,  knowledge 
which  will  not,  indeed,  renew  the  heart,  or,  directly,  save  the 
soul,  but  which  will  prevent  crimes  which  are  blunders  as 
well,  and  which,  seen  as  both  blunders  and  crimes,  will 
never  be  committed.    And  the  educated  young  men  of  whom 
I  speak,  failing  of  the  ministry,  will,  nevertheless,  dissipate 
the  general  darkness,  and,  themselv#  formed  under  such 
influences,  will  mould  society  for  good  —  some  of  them  show- 
ing in  the  end  that  God  is  wiser  than  man,  and  that  one 
whom  —  contrary  to  the  hopes  of  Christians  —  He  has  not 
called   into  the   ministry,  may,   notwithstanding,   minister 
most  efficiently  for  Him  in  Congress,  in  the  Cabinet,  in  the 
Presidential  chair,  in  the  Preedman's  Bureau,  or  as  General 
of  Division. 

Take,  then,  a  promising  youth  where  you  can  find  him : 
by  your  sympathy,  your  aid,  your  prayers,  make  the  most 
of  him ;  and,  in  due  time,  you  will  have  ministers  enough  ; 
and  of  those  who  turn  into  other  walks,  a  better,  more  pub- 
lic-spirited, useful  class  than  you  have  now  —  men  who  will 
be  bound  to  you,  to  the  institutions  which  have  trained 
them,  by  ties  of  gratitude  and  respect,  "as  by  hooks  of  steel"— 
while  they  can  never  forget  the  companions  of  their  early 


8 

studies,  nor  undervalue  the  cause  and  the  calling  to  which 
these  have  given  themselves. 

Does  some  one  say,  "  It  costs  too  much  money  —  if  those 
already  of  hopeful  piety  can  be  brought  forward,  it  must 
do  ? "  Then  I  say  that  the  children  of  this  world  are  wiser 
in  their  generation  than  the  children  of  light.  I  say,  too, 
that  the  war  —  among  other  things  which  it  has  blown  up — 
has  exploded  all  penny-wise,  pound-foolish  maxims  ;  that  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  the  Christian  Commission,  the  boun- 
ties, and  all  the  inconceivable  expense  lavished  like  water 
in  crushing  the  rebellion,  have  proved  that  we  can  do  what 
we  will  do.  And  I  say  that  one  thing  which  we  ought  to 
do,  and  can  do,  is  to  see  that  every  young  man  who,  by  na- 
ture or  by  grace,  has  in  him  capabilities  of  goodness  and 
greatness,  should  have  needed  encouragement  for  their  de- 
velopment. We  cannot  afford  to  let  stones  fit  for  the  wall 
lie  by  the  wayside.  We  cannot  afford  to  stumble  over 
nuggets  of  gold  without  stooping  to  pick  them  up.  Knowl- 
edge, secular  knowledge  —  with  just  a  seasoning'  of  that 
fear  of  the  Lord  which  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom  —  would 
have  saved,  if  the  whole  truth  were  told,  a  million  of  lives, 
and,  to  the  country  at  large  —  all  the  debts  and  devastations 
of  war  included  —  probably  from  seven  to  ten  billions  of 
dollars,  besides  an  interminable  catalogue  of  sins  and  woes. 

Educate,  then ;  educate  for  the  ministry,  on  the  wide 
scale  which  you  should,  and  you  educate  a  mass  of  mind 
which  will  be  your  defense  against  popular  ignorance,  super- 
stition, demagogism,  anarchy,  barbarism. 

But  not  to  parents  and  to  churches,  merely,  does  this  ap- 
peal come.  To  none  does  it  address  itself  more  loudly,  more 
distinctly  than  to  those  who  fill  the  high  places  of  instruction 
in  the  institutions  of  learning.  None  wield  an  influence 
more  momentous  than  theirs.  No  man  should  fill  a  presi- 
dential or  professional  chair,  especially  the  former,  whose 
piety  and  whose  sense  of  the  vital  importance  of  an  evan- 


gclical  ministry  are  not  such  that  the  great  majority  of  suit- 
able young  men  who  pass  from  his  moulding  hands  will  go, 
naturally  and  of  course,  to  the  theological  seminary  and  the 
pulpit.  Immeasurable  the  wrong  inflicted  on  the  church 
and  the  world  by  one  whose  high  station  and  official  influ- 
ence are  perverted  to  turning  young  men  from  the  right 
ways  of  the  Lord.  Incalculable  the  benefit  which  he  con- 
fers who  remembers  that  a  New  England  college  is  founded 
for  Christ  and  his  church ;  and  who  is  not  satisfied  unless 
his  full  power  is  expended  in  forming  for  the  ministry  every 
pupil  in  whom  the  needful  endowments  of  mind  and  heart 
are  found. 

Nor  can  it  be  amiss  to  say  in  this  connection,  that  the 
claims  of  the  ministry  should  be  presented  clearly,  fully, 
forcibly  to  young  men,  and  their  consciences  aroused  to  dis- 
tinct cognizance  of  the  matter.  They  must  be  constrained 
to  take  the  subject  into  candid  consideration,  and  carefully 
to  weigh  motives  for  and  against. 

It  would  be  well  if  an  advocate  for  Christ  and  his  gospel, 
armed  at  all  points,  his  own  soul  in  a  glow,  were  sent  from 
college  to  college,  from  academy  to  academy,  to  expend  his 
best  energies,  by  public  addresses  and  private  conversations, 
in  obtaining  recruits  for  the  ranks  of  the  ministry.  And 
his  mission  should  by  no  means  be  restricted  to  those  al- 
ready hopefully  pious.  Young  men  generally,  as  young- 
men,  strong  and  capable  of  much  good,  therefore  bound  to 
achieve  much  good,  should  be  the  class  which  he  seeks  to 
gain.  Christ's  claim  to  the  service  of  a  young  man  is  none 
the  weaker  that  he  makes  no  profession  of  piety.  Let  that 
claim  be  urged.  Let  the  young  man  see  that  a  wo  impends 
over  him  if  he  preach  not  the  gospel.  That  may  as  well  be 
the  turning-point  in  his  religious  character  as  any  other.  It 
has  been  the  turning-point  with  many.  Many  a  young  man 
in  yielding  to  convictions  of  duty,  in  the  choice  of  a  profes- 
sion, has  yielded  all. 


10 

But — returning  to  the  question  how  the  needed  material 
is  to  be  obtained  —  a  regular  educational  process  —  begun 
in  the  academy,  continued  in  the  college,  finished  in  the 
seminary,  takes  time — a  third  part  of  a  generation's  life. 

Meantime  the  famine  of  hearing  the  word  of  the  Lord  is 
growing  more  intense.  Is  there  no  medium  between  starva- 
tion and  satiety  ?  If  a  man  may  not  go  forth  an  accom- 
plished scholar  and  theologian,  may  he  not  learn  so  to  deliver 
his  message  that  men  may  hear  and  believe  and  be  saved  ? 
He  surely  may.  The  history  of  whole  denominations  shows 
it  The  biography  of  private  Christians  shows  it.  The  his- 
tory of  our  own  seminary  shows  it. 

There  should  be,  then,  a  large  number  in  whose  training 
many  things,  in  themselves  desirable,  have  been  dispensed 
with ;  and  who,  by  brief,  special  culture,  superadded  to 
large  measures  of  christian  experience  already  attained, 
shall  be  reasonably  qualified  to  meet  the  present  emergency. 
Not  all  the  host  needs  to  be  heavy  artillery. 

Having  found  our  material,  a  second  question  comes  up 
as  to  the  means  of  shaping  it  for  the  intended  service  — 
II.     How  shall  educational  advantages  be  provided  for  those 

who  have  the  ministry  in  view  ? 

Academies,  colleges,  theological  schools,  must  be  liberally 
endowed.  The  Seminary  at  Bangor,  (to  come  to  our  own 
State),  the  College  at  Brunswick,  should  be  able  to  take  by 
the  hand,  each  worthy  applicant,  giving  him  assurance  that 
his  personal  consecration  to  the  studies  which  shall  fit  him 
for  usefulness  shall  be  considered  full  offset  to  any  pecuniary 
assistance  which  may  be  requisite.  A  seminary  or  college 
whose  professorships  merely  are  endowed  is  just  half  en- 
dowed. Scholarships  are  needed  as  well.  All  honor  to  him 
who  shall  so  bestow  the  riches  entrusted  to  his  stewardship 
that,  at  the  least,  our  leading  college  and  school  of  theologi- 
cal training  may  have  no  more  occasion,  with  wearisome  re- 


11 

iteration,  to  cry,  Give  !  Give  !  but,  instead,  be  able  hence- 
forward freely  to  impart  to  their  children  what  they  have 
freely  received  from  him  who  shall  have  thus  won  a  name 
as  imperishable  from  the  annals  of  education  and  religion 
in  our  State,  as  the  brightest  name  of  patriotic  renown  which 
the  history  of  rebellion  suppressed  shall  hand  down  to  all 
coming  time. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  added  that  the  American 
Education  Society  is  not  to  be  forgotten — -though,  were 
colleges  and  theological  seminaries  endowed,  it  would  seem 
that  that  honored  agency  might  cease — its  occupation  being 
gone.  Meantime,  let  the  notion  be  utterly  relinquished  that 
any  favor  is  conferred,  any  obligation  laid  on  a  young  man 
whom  such  agency,  or  any  other,  assists  in  his  preparation 
for  the  ministry.  The  idea  is  preposterous.  It  is  every 
Christian's  duty,  every  man's  duty,  in  such  way  as  best  he 
can,  to  bo  a  minister — his  duty  to  volunteer  in  person,  or, 
if  that  be  not  permitted  him,  to  furnish  a  substitute  —  if 
that  is  in  his  power.  And  as  the  citizen  who  stays  at  home, 
while  his  substitute  encounters  the  dangers  and  hardships  of 
war,  has  the  easiest  (if  not  the  best)  of  it,  so  he  who  finds 
one  to  take  his  place  in  the  ministerial  host  may  not  think 
that  he  lays  that  substitute  under  obligation.  Henceforward 
let  it  be  understood  that  beneficiary  means  one  who  confers, 
not  one  who  receives  a  benefit.  Let  it  be  understood  that, 
if  a  young  man  is  ready  to  furnish  the  capital  of  bone  and 
muscle,  of  brain  and  heart,  of  intellect  and  soul,  the  least 
that  the  church  can  do  is  thankfully  to  accept  the  gift,  and 
and  see  to  it  that  —  whether  in  a  direct  personal  way,  or 
through  munificent  public  endowments  —  no  appliance  shall 
be  wanting  thoroughly  to  furnish  the  aspirant  for  every  good 
word  and  work. 

But  it  is  sometimes  said  that  if  a  young  man  has  in  him 
the  making  of  a  good  minister,  he  will,  unaided,  work  his 
own  way,  and  be  all  the  better  for  the  discipline. 


12 

So  I  would  argue  if  I  had  money,  and  was  awfully  afraid  of 
being  askedto  part  with  some  of  it  for  the  purpose  under  con- 
sideration. Yet  there  is  in  the  idea  a  degree  of  plausibility, 
sufficient,  in  a  charitable  view,  to  save  the  suspicion  of 
avarice  as  its  origin.  But  as  well  might  it  be  argued  that,  if 
a  half-grown  colt  has  in  him  the  making  of  Job's  war  horse, 
lie  might  as  well  be  paying  his  way  by  dragging  the  plough 
and  the  harrow. 

Yes ;  a  young  man  may  pay  his  way.  He  may,  at 
length,  arrive  at  eminence  of  attainment  and  usefulness. 
But  through  what  years  of  toil  and  anxiety !  Through 
what  hope  deferred,  making  the  heart  sick !  With  what  an 
incubus  of  debt — often;  with  what  heavy  drafts  upon  all 
the  vital  energies ;  what  waste  of  the  freshness  and  bloom 
of  youth ;  with  what  irreparable  loss  of  the  golden  years 
which  should  have  rolled  him  easily  and  rapidly  to  the  field 
of  his  life's  work  !  Yes  !  our  glorious  regiments  might 
have  marched  from  the  banks  of  the  Penobscot  'and  the 
shores  of  Casco  to  Richmond ;  and  those  of  them  who  did 
not  line  the  road-side  with  their  bodies,  might  have  arrived 
in  time  for  the  surrender — saving  government  the  expense 
of  transportation.  Nay  !  they  might,  before  starting,  have 
been  sent  into  the  fields  to  feed  swine  and  raise  wheat  — 
providing  their  own  rations  for  the  campaign ! 

Where,  in  all  worldly  concerns,  is  shown  such  lack  of 
wisdom  as  when  a  young  man  is  held  back,  for  some  of  his 
best  years,  from  the  service  for  want  of  which  the  world  is 
perishing,  by  the  economical  policy  which  lays  upon  him 
the  necessity  of  laboring,  meantime,  for  his  own  subsistence, 
while,  with  a  divided  mind,  he  is  looking  toward  the  distant, 
still  receding  goal  ? 

The  discipline  of  study  and  self-culture  is  discipline 
enough  for  the  time.  The  time  and  strength  expended  in 
laboring  for  food  and  raiment  is  largely  subtracted  from  the 
length  and  the  efficiency  of  professional  life. 


13 

But  supposing  that  wc  have  found  our  materials  and 
given  them  the  proper  shape  —  supposing,  in  other  words, 
that  wc  have  found  our  young  men,  and  have  educated 
them  —  there  comes  up  a  third  point  of  vital  moment.  It 
may  be  cxpressd  thus  : 

III.     Ministers  must  be  supported  belter. 

Not  that  baits  should  be  offered  to  covetousness  in  paying 
large  salaries;  but  men,  as  good  —  it  may  be  —  as  the 
average  of  those  that  are  in  the  ministry,  should  not  be 
excluded  by  the  necessity  of  getting  a  living  and  supporting 
a  family.  A  minister  should  himself  be  able  to  set  an 
example  of  liberality  by  contributing  a  tithe  —  at  least  — 
of  his  income  to  charitable  objects.  He  should  be  able  to 
refresh  body  and  mind,  and  prolong  his  term  of  effective 
labor,  and  fit  himself  better  for  it,  by  spending  at  least 
another  tithe  on  needed  books  and  periodicals  ;  in  traveling 
to  association  and  conference  —  county  and  state  ;  to  the 
meeting  of  the  American  Board  ;  to  the  commencement  of 
his  college  ;  to  the  anniversary  of  his  seminary ;  to  councils 
and  meetings  of  special  interest ;  to  the  "  May  meetings  " — 
or  June  —  as  the  case  may  be.  And  since  much  of  this  is 
work,  often  hardest  work,  instead  of  play,  he  should  be 
allowed  a  little  real  relaxation ;  he  should  be  allowed,  if  he 
lives  far  inland,  once  in  a  great  while  —  all  professional 
cares  left  with  his  black  coat  at  home  —  to  snuff  the  salt- 
water air,  and  take  a  cooling  dip ;  or,  following  apostolic 
precedent,  go  a  fishing  ;  or,  if  he  be  a  dweller  on  the  shore, 
two  or  three  times  in  his  life  to  see  the  White  Mountains  at 
a  less  distance  than  from  "  Blackstrap,"  or  Munjoy  Hill. 
If  it  be  the  privilege  of  only  a  favored  few  to  visit  the  old 
world,  it  may  be  permitted  more,  at  intervals  of  a  score  of 
years,  to  enlarge  their  views  of  their  own  land,  its  extent, 
its  condition,  its  resources,  its  needs,  its  prospects,  by  going 
in  search  of  the  ever  retiring  West.     And  thus  the  second 


14 

tithe  of  a  reasonable  income  is  —  you  may  well  believe  — 
expended. 

And  if  your  minister  can  lay  aside  another  tithe  for  old 
age,  (which  is  generally  supposed  to  come  early  to  minis- 
ters,) or  for  sickness,  or  for  fatherless  and  dependent 
children,  who  shall  say  that  he  has  not  the  same  right  to  do 
so  with  any  other  man  ?  Who  shall  say  that  it  is  not 
equally  incumbent  on  a  minister  with  any  other  man  to 
provide  for  his  own  household  —  even  for  himself  ?  And 
thus  three  tithes  are  spent.  The  remaining  seven-tenths 
should  be  sufficient  to  feed  and  clothe,  to  educate  his  family, 
to  meet  all  demands  of  hospitality  —  indispensable  grace  in 
a  bishop  —  and  of  society  in  general.  Whether  or  not  they 
are,  let  relatives  in  more  lucrative  business  than  preaching 
the  gospel,  or  possessing  inherited  wealth,  who  find  them- 
selves yearly  constrained  to  aid  their  ministering  sons  and 
brothers  —  let  them  say.  Let  the  "  sunny-side  "  column  in 
the  newspaper  answer.  Let  the  somewhat  seedy  apparel, 
and  somewhat  scant  fare,  and  more  scant  supply  of  books, 
and  all  means  of  mental  advancement  of  those  who  have 
no  rich  relations,  and  whose  people  do  not  take  the  papers, 
and  have  not  learned  the  trick  of  surprising  their  minister — 
let  them  say.  And  for  the  "  sunny-side  "  column  referred 
to  —  it  looks  bright ;  but  it  has  a  "  shady  "  side. 

The  proclamation  of  seeming  praise-worthy  liberality  is, 
in  fact,  and  oftentimes,  a  confession  that,  whereas  a  church 
or  society  is  able  to  pay  its  minister  a  competent  salary,  it 
does  not ;  and  so  has  preferred  partially  to  supply  the  defi- 
ciency in  a  way  which  appears  to  confer  an  obligation,  thus 
putting  people  in  the  false  position  of  benefactor  and  patron, 
and  minister  in  the*  humiliating  one  of  dependent  aud  re- 
cipient —  to  the  disadvantage  of  both. 

"  Generous,"  is  the  heading  of  a  recent  newspaper  para- 
graph. "  The  Rev.  John  Smith's  salary  has  been  raised 
from  $900  to  $1200  !  "     Did  you  ever  see  a  philosophical 


15 

toy  consisting  of  a  piece  of  wood,  tapering  to  a  point  from 
the  center  to  each  end,  and  rolling  up  an  inclined  plane,  till, 
when  it  gets  to  the  top,  it  is  really  lower  than  when  it  start- 
ed ?  That  is  the  salary  paid  in  a  currency  which  depre- 
ciates faster  than  the  nominal  advance  can  overtake  !  Mr. 
Smith's  salary  had  really  been  cut  down  from  $900  to  $300. 
For  the  $900  was  gold  —  or  its  equivalent — hard  and  heavy 
and  yellow,  while  the  $1 200  was,  both  for  the  depreciation 
of  the  paper  in  which  it  was  paid,  and  from  the  ease  with 
which  the  payers  came  by  it,  worth  not  more  than  half  its 
nominal  value.  But  that  did  not  occur  to  the  friend  who, 
in  the  interest  of  the  parish,  communicated  the  statement. 
When  a  salary  yields  an  adequate  support  there  may  be  gen- 
erosity in  adding  to  it  —  certainly  not  sooner  —  unless  the 
people  are  poor.  Yet  some  ministers  would  be  a  nice  spec- 
ulation with  even  more  than  a  support. 

But  the  poor  churches  —  those  that  are  really  poor  —  what 
shall  they  do  ?  When  they  have  done  what  they  can,  let 
them  call  on  the  Missionary  Society.  But  the  society  adds  but  a 
scanty  pittance — generally  speaking.  Then  let  it  call — as  it 
does  —  on  the  comparatively  rich  churches.  And  common 
humanity,  not  to  say  Christianty,  as  well  as  the  Congrega- 
tional doctrine  of  the  binding  fellowship  of  the  churches, 
makes  it  obligatory  that  the  strong  should  bear  the  burdens 
of  the  weak  —  especially  when  the  strength  on  the  one  hand 
and  the  weakness  on  the  other,  is  partly  through  the  tide  of 
population  setting  from  small  places  to  large. 

Let  there  be  more  of  an  equality.  Because  a  minister  goes 
into  a  poor  and  obscure  place,  where  many  of  his  expenses 
are  necessarily  increased  —  as  of  books  and  travelling — and 
where  educational  advantages  are  almost  nominal,  so  that 
he  must  send  his  children  abroad,  or  bring  them  up  with 
most  limited  opportunities  at  home  —  and  where  he  himself 
is  shut  out  from  many  sources  of  mental  quickening  and 
improvement,  there  is  neither  reason  nor  justice  in  putting 


16 

him  on  short  allowance  for  food  and  raiment.  In  view  of 
his  inevitable  disadvantages  and  privations,  his  income 
should  be  larger,  in  proportion  to  his  necessary  expenses, 
than  that  of  his  more  favored  brother  in  the  wealthy  town 
or  city. 

And  where  the  money  is,  there  is  the  responsibility.  On 
the  richer  churches,  according  to  their  wealth,  it  devolves 
to  see  that  the  Treasury  of  the  Maine  Missionary  Society  is 
so  well  filled  that  its  managers  shall  be  able  to  disburse  lib- 
erally to  good  men,  wherever  there  is  reasonable  encourage- 
ment for  sustaining  a  minister — the  more  liberally  the  great- 
er the  sacrifice  he  is  obliged  to  make: 

In  announcing  this  third  topic  I  said  that,  to  the  needful 
supply  of  preachers,  ministers  must  be  supported  better. 
And  though  I  am  not  the  appointed  advocate  of  the  Maine 
Congregational  Charitable  Society,  it  may  be  permitted  me 
to  say  that  the  effect  cannot  be  otherwise  than  happy  for  one 
who  is  weighing  the  claims  of  the  ministry,  to  know  that 
there  is  a  society  which  will  stand  between  absolute  want 
and  those  whom  he  may  leave  in  dependence. 

If  it  be  objected  that  all  this  implies  that  candidates  and 
ministers  themselves  are  not  sufficiently  disinterested  ;  that 
we  want  men  who  are  willing  to  endure  hardness,  and  to 
trust  Providence  for  the  families  which  they  may  leave  des- 
titute, I  deny  the  implication  ;  and  then  I  say  that  the 
church  must  cease  to  demand  or  expect  of  its  servants  to 
be  any  more  disinterested  or  devoted  than  itself — must  level 
itself  up  to  its  proper  plane,  and  then  its  candidates  and  its 
ministers  will  be  nearer  what  they  should  be,  and  there  will 
be  more  of  them.  Are  you  who  stay  in  security  at  home  to  be 
less  patriotic  than  he  who  shoulders  his  musket  and  marches 
gallantly  to  the  front  ?  Are  you  not  bound  to  fit  him  out ; 
to  feed  and  clothe  and  arm  him ;  to  follow  him  with  Sani- 
itary  stores  and  Christian  ministrations  ;  with  your  prayers 
and  good  wishes  ?     Are  you  not  bound,  instead  of  dispar- 


17 

aging  him  as  mercenary,  to  tone  up  his  sentiments  by  your 
own  comprehensive,  patriotic,  philanthropic  views  ;  to  clarify 
and  elevate,  if  need  be,  his  ideas  and  motives  ?  Are  you 
not  bound,  if  he  is  disabled,  to  pension  him;  if  he  falls,  to 
provide  for  his  widow  and  children  ? 

There  would  be  ministers  enough,  disinterested  and  de- 
voted enough,  were  the  church  (of  which,  indeed,  ministers 
are  part)  what  it  should  be.  Did  the  church  rise  to  the 
height  of  the  great  argument,  did  each  Christian  man  un- 
derstand his  high  calling,  and  feel  himself  bound  to  preach 
the  gospel  as  best  he  can,  young  men,  candidates  and  min- 
isters, would  be  be  borne  up  on  a  tide  of  devotedness  —  up 
and  on.  No  fear  that  a  comfortable  support,  or  freedom 
from  needless  cares  would  spoil  them. 

The  fact  rather  is  that  many  a  minister  has  been  spoiled, 
sadly  damaged,  at  least,  for  want  of  such  a  support,  when 
it  was  in  his  people's  easy  ability  to  furnisn  it — and  because 
it  was  easy  for  them.  Had  they  been  poor  he  could  willingly 
have  shared  their  poverty. 

Many  a  young  man  has  entered  the  ministry  with  no 
thought  prominent  before  his  mind  but  the  thought  of  serv- 
ing his  Master  in  doing  good  to  his  fellow-men.  But  he  has 
found  the  question  of  daily  bread  forcing  itself  on  his  no- 
tice. He  has  found  himself  cramped  and  perplexed  for 
means  to  satisfy  most  common  and  urgent  wants,  while 
those  whom  he  provides  with  spiritual  sustenance  have  bread 
enough,  and  to  spare  for  him,  were  they  disposed  so  to  do. 
It  is  well  if,  in  his  sense  of  injustice,  he  is  not  embittered 
toward  those  from  whom  he  had  right  to  expect  better  things. 
Almost  of  necessity  he  comes  down  from  his  high  stand  ; 
turns  aside,  perhaps,  partially  or  wholly,  to  secular  pursuits. 
His  sons,  looking  upon  their  father's — and  their  mother's — 
needless  trials,  trials  all  the  harder  for  being  needless,  in- 
wardly resolve  never  to  put  themselves  in  the  way  of  such 
liabilities.  Small  blame  to  them. 
2 


18 

* 

On  the  church  rests  the  responsibility  of  turning  them 
from  their  fathers'  calling.  On  the  church  rests  the  respon- 
sibility of  the  lamentable  fact,  that  an  increasingly,  alarm- 
ingly large  proportion  of  pious  students  in  our  colleges  feel 
themselves  at  liberty  f;o  turn  aside  to  secular  pursuits.  They 
may  be  deficient  in  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  ;  but  it  is  not 
strange  that  they  settle  to  the  level  of  the  Christianity  which 
surrounds  them.  When  the  church  deems  the  gospel  im- 
portant to  be  sustained,  even  at  some  cost,  young  men 
enough  will  be  found  ready  to  examine  its  claims  on  their 
personal  service.  Whatever  Christ  may  require  of  them, 
let  us  not  expect  them  to  monopolize  all  benevolence  and 
self-sacrifice. 

Something  might  be  added  on  economy  of  ministerial 
life,  in  not  over-working  beginners,  (or  experts,  even,)  in 
the  matter  of  mere  preaching.  The  loss  from  this  source 
is  by  no  means  inconsiderable.  A  young  lawyer  or  physi- 
cian is  not  plunged  at  once  into  a  full  tide  of  practice.  He 
works  into  his  profession  by  degrees.  But  a  young  minister 
is  required,  on  peril  of  summary  dismissal,  to  do  the  work 
of  a  veteran.  The  two  sermons  kill  or  disable  him,  and  he 
adds  another  to  the  catalogue  of  mysterious  providences. 

And  if  many  young  ministers  are  lost  to  the  church  by 
excessive  labors  and  responsibilities  at  the  start,  there  is 
some  loss,  too,  in  the  disposition  to  discard,  with  unneces- 
sary haste,  those  who  are  beginning  to  be  old. 

"  Get  what  you  can,  and  keep  what  you  get"  may  be  a 
very  mean  maxim  in  its  usual  application.  Properly  quali- 
fied, it  is  a  wise  maxim,  when  the  needed  supply  of  minis- 
ters is  the  subject. 

But  never  was  the  exhortation  of  Christ  to  his  disciples 
so  seasonable  or  so  urgent  as  now  —  Pray  ye  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest  that  he  would  send  forth  laborers  into  his 
harvest !  Never  were  Christian  men  so  summoned  to  in- 
stant, earnest,  persistent  effort.     Let  us  not  be  indifferent 


19 

to  the  call.  Let  patriotism  —  not  less  than  love  of  Christ 
and  of  the  souls  for  whom  he  died  —  let  patriotism  stimu- 
late to  every  exertion,  every  sacrifice,  that  the  number  of 
those  who  shall  proclaim  the  words  of  the  Lord  throughout 
the  land  may  be  indefinitely  increased. 

So  shall  famine  be  averted  —  that  famine  of  which,  unre- 
lieved, the  nation  will  waste  and  die.  So  shall  the  nation 
grow  and  thrive.  So  shall  it  become  a  name  and  a  praise  in 
all  lands,  and  through  all  time.  So  shall  Christ  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul.  So  shall  the  king  say  Well  done  !  good 
and  faithful  servants ! 


FIFTY-EIGHTH  ANNUAL  REPORT. 

> 

Jime  28th,   7865. 


-\    rnmrn:   > 


The  Trustees,  in  presenting  their  Report,  would  gratefully 
recognize  the  kindness  of  God  in  the  preservation  of  their  own 
lives,  and  the  lives  of  all  the  Missionaries  of  the  Society,  save 
one,  who  have  been  in  its  employment  the  past  year.  One,  full 
of  years  and  virtues,  whose  relations  to  the  Society  were  coeval 
with  its  origin,  who  for  half  a  century  was  one  of  its  Board  of 
Trustees,  and  for  the  last  fourteen  years  one  of  its  Missionaries, 
has  recently  closed  his  ministry  of  almost  three-score  years,  and 
entered  into  rest.  *  His  venerable  form  and  silvery  head  are  low 
in  the  grave. 

Another,  formerly  a  Missionary  of  this  Society,  the  Rev.  "Win. 
Davenport,  has  passed  to  his  better  home.  And  still  another,  a 
man  of  unexampled  activity,  the  Rev.  Cyril  Pearl,  has  fallen  sud- 
denly by  the  way.  Only  some  two  or  three  weeks  before  his 
death,  he  remarked  that  he  "  had  vitality  enough  for  three 
bodies."  "  Surely  all  flesh  is  grass."  What  we  do  must  be  done 
quickly. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  fields  of  labor  occupied  the  past 
year,  and  the  Missionaries  employed,  with  such  facts  of  interest 
as  have  transpired  in  connection  with  their  labors,  so  far  as  re- 
ported. 

*  Rev.  David  Thurston  preached  his  first  sermon  July  4, 1805,— his  last,  April  20, 1865.  He 
died  at  Litchfield,  May  7, 1865,  at  the  age  of  86  years  aDd  3  months. 


21 

1.  Acton.— Rev.  Francis  F.  Smith,  12  mos.,  $100. 

Hopeful  conversions,  three.  The  state  of  things  is  represented 
as  encouraging. 

2.  Albany.— Rev.  S.  Gould,  12  mos.,  $200.  Average  congregation,  125, 
an  increase  of  25  per  cent,  since  the  last  annual  report.  Conversions,  2. 
Added  to  the  Church  by  letter,  3.     Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $21. 

The  prospects  of  this  church  and  Society  are  hopeful.  They 
annually  increase  their  appropriations  for  the  support  of  the 
gospel.  In  1861  they  raised  $150;  1865,  $245.  Their  minister 
has  lost  both  his  sons  in  the  war. 

3.  Alexander.  —  Mr.  Oilman  A.  Hoyt  was  commissioned  in  August  to 
labor  here  10  weeks.  After  six  weeks  he  was  drafted  into  the  army,  and 
served  his  country  as  a  soldier  till  the  close  of  the  war. 

This  Church  "  is  ready  to  die."  Yet  the  people  were  deeply 
interested  in  Mr.  Hoyt's  labors,  and  defrayed  half  the  expense 
of  his  mission.     Congregation,  60. 

4.  Amherst  and  Aurora.  —  Rev.  D.  S.  Hibbard,  12  mos.,  $150.  Con- 
gregation, 60.     Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $266.     Other  objects,  $10. 

The  past  is  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Hibbard's  labors  in  this  field. 
He  found  the  church  in  a  low  and  feeble  state.  But  they  have 
been  encouraged  to  renewed  efforts.  Funds  have  been  raised 
for  the  repair  of  the  parsonage  and  the  house  of  worship.  It 
may  be  hoped  that  the  sun  of  righteousness  will  soon  shine  upon 
them  with  healing  in  his  beams. 

5.  Andover.  —  Rev.  William  V.  Jordan,  12  mos.,  $125.  Congregation, 
125.     Conversions,  2.     Donations,  $74. 

The  condition  of  this  church  is  pleasant  and  hopeful,  and 
their  relations  to  their  minister  agreeable.  i 

6.  Bangor.  Essex  Street.  Mr.  George  H.  Pratt,  10  weeks,  $50.  Dona- 
tion to  Home  Missions,  $10. 

This  out-post  in  the  city  of  Bangor  has  been  supplied  several 
years  by  the  students  of  the  Seminary.  This  mission  is  to  con- 
tinue the  supply  in  vacation. 

7.  Belfast,  North,  and  Freedom.  —  Mr.  Samuel  Morrison,  9|  mos., 
$121.  Congregation,  in  North  Belfast,  110;  Freedom,  80.  Donations  to 
M.  M.  S.,  in  North  Belfast,  $7  ;  Freedom,  $10. 

Our  missionary's  labors  have  been  very  acceptable  and  highly 


22 

appreciated.  He  represents  the  field  at  Freedom  as  decidedly- 
hopeful,  one  that  should  be  supplied  with  constant  preaching. 
At  North  Belfast,  divisions  in  the  church  exert  a  paralyzing  in- 
fluence upon  her  energies,  and  darken  the  prospects  of  her  use- 
fulness and  prosperity.  There  is  special  call  for  great  searching 
of  heart  and  deep  humility. 


8.  Bingham  and  Solon.  —  Rev.  John  K.  Deering,  12  mos.,  $200.  Con- 
gregation, in  Bingham,  100  ;  in  Solon,  125.  Conversions  in  B.,  2.  Additions 
to  the  church  in  B.,  by  profession,  2  ;  letter,  3  ;  in  S.,  1  by  profession.  Do- 
nations to  M.  M.  S.,  in  B.,  $15.60  ;  in  S.,  $6.43  ;  other  objects,  $49.37. 

9.  Blanchard. — One-half  the  time,  Rev.  Henry  S.  Loring,  12  mos.,  $100. 
Congregation,  70.     Donations  to  M.  M.  S.;  $14.45  ;  other  objects,  $37. 

10.  Boothbay,  2d  church.  —  Rev.  William  Leavitt,  3  mos.,  $12.50.  Mr. 
Leavitt  labored  three  months  with  this  church  under  a  commission  of  the 
previous  year,  and  then  sickness  compelled  him  to  suspend  his  labors.  Con- 
gregation, 110.  One  hopeful  conversion.  One  added  to  the  church  by  let- 
ter.    Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $5  ;  other  objects,  $30. 

It  would  be  a  wise  arrangement  for  both  the  churches  in  this 
town  to  unite  in  supplying  one  minister,  who  should  divide  his 
labors  between  them ;  preaching  once  in  each  house  every  Sab- 
bath. This  may  be  done  with  great  convenience.  United  they 
can  give  a  minister  an  ample  support.  The  wisdom  of  appropri- 
ating missionary  funds  to  give  each  church  the  entire  labors  of 
a  pastor  is  at  least  questionable. 

11.  Bristol. — Mr.  R.  C.  Russel. 

Mr.  Russell,  a  graduate  of  Union  Theological  Seminary,  was 
commissioned  at  the  last  annual  meeting  of  the  Trustees  to  labor 
in  this  place  one  year;  but,  as  he  alleged,  a. change  came  over 
his  views  of  church  polity,  and  in  the  autumn  he  left  his  field, 
and  connected  himself  with  the  Episcopal  Church.  The  people 
paid  him  for  the  time  he  labored. 

12.  Brooksville,  E.  and  W. —  Rev.  Benjamin  Dodge,  12  mos.,  $125. 
Conversions,  3.    Added  to  the  church  in  West  Brooksville,  by  profession,  3. 

13.  Brownfield. — Mr.  Isaiah  P.  Smith,  11  mos.,  $92. 

The  Spirit  has  been  poured  upon  this  church,  and  some  thirty 
hopeful  conversions  are  reported. 


23 

1 1.     Broavnville— Rev.  N.  W.  Sheldon,  3  mos.,  $12.50. 

15.  Buxton,  North.  —  Rev.  G.  W.  Cressey,  12  mos.,  $100.  Congrega- 
tion, 95.     Conversions,  1.     Donations,  M.  M.  S.,  $25;  other  objects,  $54. 

16.  Carmel  and  Kenduskeag. — Mr.  George  Lewis.  21  mos.,  $70. 

17.  Casco  axd  Naples. — Rev.  Thomas  T.  Merry,  10  mos.,  $107.  Hope- 
ful conversions  in  Casco,  15  ;  in  Naples,  40.  Added  to  the  church  in  Casco, 
by  profession,  9  ;  letter,  3  ;  in  Naples,  by  profession,  2  ;  letter,  2.  $40  con- 
tributed to  benevolent  objects. 

Mr.  Merry  was  blessed  in  his  labors  and  enjoyed  a  season  of 
refreshing.  Still  he  has  felt  it  his  duty  to  leave  these  churches 
and  enter  another  field  of  labor. 

18.  Columbia. — Rev.  B.  F.  Sanborn,  5  mos.,  $83. 

This  town  has  been  divided,  and  the  village  where  Mr.  San- 
born labored,  has  been  incorported  as  Columbia  Falls.  There 
is  no  Congregational  Church  in  this  place.  At  the  close  of  his 
mission  Mr.  Sanborn  left,  as  the  interest  on  the  part  of  the  peo- 
ple was  not  sufficient  to  renew  their  subscriptions.  The  little 
church  at  Cherryfield  would  have  been  glad  to  unite  with  the 
people  of  Columbia  Falls,  in  the  support  of  Mr.  Sanborn,  but 
even  this  plan  failed. 

19.  Dedhaji. —  Rev.  James  Wells,  12  mos.,  $125.  Congregation,  110. 
Contributions  to  M.  M.  S.,  $44.48  ;  other  objects,  $106. 

Mr.  Wells,  after  having  served  well  his  country  as  a  chaplain 
in  the  army,  has  resumed  his  pastoral  labors,  much  to  the  gratifi- 
tion  of  his  people.  This  church  has  been  sadly  bereaved  by  the 
war. 

20.  Deer  Isle,  North.  —  Rev.  W.  A.  Merrill,  5^  mos.,  $88.  Congrega- 
tion, 85.     Contribution  M.  M.  S.,  $28  ;  other  objects,  $15. 

Mr.  Merrill  was  commissioned  for  a  longer  time,  but  felt  it  to 
be  his  duty,  much  to  the  sorrow  of  his  people,  to  leave  for  another 
field.  He  had  been  instrumental  in  the  formation  of  the  church 
and  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  ;  had  been  blessed  with 
revivals,  and  his  removal  was  a  loss  deeply  deplored. 

21.  Durham. — Rev.  W.  H.  Haskell,  9?  mos.,  $94.  Congregation,  80.  One 
hopeful  conversion.     Donation  to  M.  M.  S.,  $15;  other  objects,  $15. 

This  is  a  hard  and  unproductive  field,  and  our  missionary  feels 
it  his  duty  to  seek  another. 


24 

22.  Frankfort.  —Mr.  Wellington  R.  Cross,  2£  mos.,  $70.  Congregation, 
75.     Donation  to  M.  M.  S.,  $24. 

Mr.  Cross  rendered  acceptable  service,  and  the  people  showed 
their  appreciation  by  paying  half  the  appropriation. 

23.  Garland.— Rev.  P.  B.  Thayer,  12  mos.,  $150.  Congregation,  150. 
Conversions,  2.  Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $36  ;  Foreign  Missions,  $36.  Chris- 
tian and  Sanitary  Commissions,  $200. 

To  the  pastor's  salary  have  been  added  $100,  and  a  leave  of 
absence  of  several  weeks  was  granted  him  for  service  in  the 
Christian  Commission.  This  is  a  prosperous  church  and  will 
probably  soon  cease  to  need  the  aid  of  the  M.  M.  S. 

24.  Gray. — Rev.  Ebenezer  Bean,  12  mos.,  $125.  Congregation,  120.  One 
Conversion.  Added  to  the  church  by  profession,  3.  Donations  to  M.  M.  S., 
$27  ;  Foreign  Missions,  $22  ;  Christian  Commission,  $100. 

The  condition  of  this  church  must  be  hopeful  and  encouraging. 

25.  Golden  Ridge  and  Vicinity. — Mr.  B.  A.  Robie,  2  mos.,  $56. 

26.  Guilford,  Abdott  and  Sangerville.  —  Rev.  J.  A.  Perry,  12  mos., 
$175.  Congregations,  in  Abbott,  150;  Guilford,  75;  Sangerville,  87.  Con- 
versions, in  Abbott,  3. 

The  Sabbath  Schools  in  Abbott  and  Sangerville  are  large  and 
flourishing,  and  the  most  promising  feature  in  this  hard  field. 

27.  Harrison.— Mr.  C.  C.  Watson,  1  mo.,  $32. 

Mr.  Watson  is  a  member  of  Union  Theological  Seminary,  and 
spends  a  long  vacation  with  this  church.  For  the  last  two  winters 
this  church  and  people  have  employed  a  young  man  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination,  a  member  of  Waterville  College,  to  supply 
their  pulpit.  He  rendered  very  acceptable  service,  and  was  high- 
ly useful"  in  promoting  the  spirit  of  evangelical  piety. 

28.  Houlton  and  Linneus. — Rev.  E.  G.  Carpenter,  12  mos.,  $300. 
Since  Mr.  Carpenter  commenced  his  labors  in  Houlton  several 

other  societies  have  sprung  into  existence,  dividing  the  believers 
in  evangelical  religion  into  very  small  and  feeble  bands,  when,  if 
all  united,  they  would  make  but  one  congregation  of  respectable 
size,  and  be  barely  able  to  give  a  competent  support  to  one  minis- 
ter. The  evils  of  such  divisions,  among  Christians  agreeing  in  the 


25 

essentials  of  true  religion,  arc  manifold  and  grievous.     When 
■will  the  friends  of  Christ  be  more  wise? 

29.  Island  Falls  and  Vicinity.  — Rev.  E.  Fobcs,  3  mos.,  $50.  Con- 
gregation, 45. 

30.  Isle  au  Haute.— Rev.  Joshua  Eaton,  12  mos.,  $100.  Congregation, 
40.     Conversion,  1.     Contribution  to  M.  M.  S.,  $282;  other  objects,  $10.85. 

Conp-refration  increasing,  and  an  awakened  interest  to  have  the 
gospel  preached. 

31.  Kennebunkport.  —  Rev.  John  Parsons,  9  mos..  $75.  Congregation, 
80.     Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $26. 

32.  Jackson  and  BnooKS.^-Mr.  Charles  E.  3rastow,  1  mo.,  $28. 

Mr.  Brastow's  labors  were  very  acceptable,  and  a  movement 
is  made  looking  towards  his  settlement,  an  event  much  to  be  de- 
sired. This  church  has  been  several  times  disappointed  in  the 
expectation  of  the  settlement  of  a  pastor,  and  have  long  been 
destitute.  They  are  a  people  well  instructed  and  rooted  in  the 
faith  of  the  gospel,  and  would  highly  enjoy  an  intelligent  and 
faithful  ministry. 

33.  Kittert.  —  Rev.  Thomas  Ellis,  12  mos.,  $125.  Congregation,  125. 
Donation  to  M.  M.  S.,  $23  ;  other  objects,  $49. 

The  congregation  has  increased  the  past  year  about  one-fourth, 
on  account  of  the  influx  of  population  employed  on  the  govern- 
ment works. 

34.  Lee,  Springfield  and  Carroll.  —  Rev.  C.  II.  Emerson,  12  mos., 
$300.  Congregation  in  Lee,  50 ;  Springfield  and  Carroll,  27.  Added  to  the 
church  in  Lee,  2  by  profession.  Contribution  to  M.  M.  S.,  $10 ;  other  ob- 
jects, $57. 

Mr.  Emerson  labored  the  first  three  quarters  of  the  year  in 
Lee,  and  divided  the  last  quarter  between  this  place  and  Spring- 
field and  Carroll.  These  churches  are  small  and  feeble,  both  of 
them  containing  only  43  members. 

35.  Litchfield. — Rev.  David  Thurston  was  commissioned  for  12  mos., 
labored  9^  mos.,  $75.  Congregation,  120.  Conversion,  1.  Added  to  the 
church  by  profession,  1 ;  letter,  1.     Donations,  $151.64. 

Although  at  the  great  age  of  86  years  such  were  the  health 
and  vigor  and  zeal  of  this  aged  servant  that  he  preached  regular- 


26 

]y  twice  every  Sabbath,  taught  a  Bible  class  in  the  Sabbath 
School,  and  conducted  a  prayer-meeting  in  the  evening.  Besides 
this  he  attended  a  weekly  prayer-meeting,  and  frequently  lec- 
tured in  some  out-neighborhood  on  the  evening  of  a  week  day. 
His  last  sermon,  newly  prepared,  was  preached  April  20,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  annual  State  Fast.  In  seventeen  days  after  this 
he  entered  into  rest.     He  brought  forth  fruit  in  old  age. 

36.  Limington. — Rev.  A.  H.  Johnson.  10  mos.,  $104.  Congregation,  150. 
Weekly  prayer-meeting,  60.     Conversions,  15.     Contributions,  $30. 

From  the  number  of  conversions  and  the  large  attendance  at 
the  weekly  prayer-meeting  it  is  judged  that  this  church  must  be 
in  a  prosperous  state.  The  church  and  society  pay  2^-  per  cent, 
on  their  taxable  property  for  the  support  of  Christian  ordinances. 
God  helps  those  who  help  themselves. 

37.  Lovell. — Rev.  Joseph  Smith,  12  mos.,  $115. 

Mr.  Smith  has  two  preaching  places  in  the  same  town.  In 
one,  his  congregation  numbers  100,  in  the  other,  125.  This  church 
has  been  blessed  with  a  precious  revival.  Conversions,  70.  Add- 
ed to  the  church  by  profession,  51 ;  by  letter,  5.  Sabbath  School 
flourishing.  Thirteen  family  altars  erected  ;  a  stand  for  a  par- 
sonage purchased  and  about  to  be  fitted  for  occupancy.  Dona- 
tions to  M.  M.  S.,  $22;  other  objects,  $135.25.  For  further  no- 
tice of  this  revival  see  subsequent  part  of  this  report. 

38.  Macqiasport. — Rev.  G.  Bacheller.  6  mos.,  $25. 

This  church  is  in  a  low,  declining  state,  greatly  needing  the 
outpouring  of  the  Spirit. 

39.  Madawaska  Settlement. — Rev.  E.  N.  Raymond,  10  mos.,  $167. 
Our  lone  missionary  at  this  distant,  frontier  post,  reports  four 

hopeful  conversions.  He  occupies  two  stations,  fort  Kent  and 
St.  Francis.  But  the  English-speaking  population  are  so  few, 
and  the  difficulty  of  access  to  the  French  Catholics  is  so  great, 
that  the  expediency  of  long  continuing  this  mission  is  extremely 
doubtful. 

40.  Madison  Bridge.  —  Rev.  Thomas  G.  Mitchell,  12  mos.,  $125,  Con- 
versions, 2.     Added  to  the  church,  1.     Contributions,  $90. 

There  is  a  good  degree  of  religious  interest  among  the  people. 


27 

Leave  of  absence  was  granted  their  pastor  for  seven  weeks'  ser- 
vice in  the  Christian  Commission,  and  on  his  return  they  made 
him  a  donation  of  §200. 

41.  Madsion,  East,  and  S.  Solon.— Rev.  C.  R.  Daggett,  10  mos.,  $83. 

42.  Mechanic  Falls. — Rev.  Joseph  Kyte,  J  mo.,  $11,  on  commission  of 
the  previous  year. 

Mr.  Kyte  has  been  dismissed  and  gone  into  the  service  of  the 
Am.  S.  S.  Union.  This  church  has  since  been  destitute.  It  is 
small  and  feeble. 

43.  Mercer,  Farmington  Falls,  and  N.  Chesterville. — Mr.  W.  W' 
Dow,  2  mos.,  $33. 

Mr.  Dow  left  this  field  at  the  close  of  his  mission,  Sept.  1, 
1864,  and  these  places  are  now  destitute,  and  loudly  call  for  aid. 

44.  New  Vineyard,  W.,  North  Vineyard,  Industry,  and  S.  Anson. — 
Rev.  A.  R.  Plumer,  10£  mos.,  $170. 

45.  Newfield. — Rev.  George  S.  Kemp,  12  mos.,  $100.  Congregation,  100. 
Our  missionary  regards  the  state  of  things  here  as  encouraging. 

46.  Norway  Center.— Rev.  Pbilo  B.  Wilcox,  12  mos.,  $125. 

47.  Norway  Village. — Rev.  A.  H.  Tyler,  12  mos.,  $187.50.  Congrega- 
tion, 150.     Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $20;  other  objects,  $60. 

48.  Oxford. — Mr.  Thomas  Crowther  has  just  commenced  a  mission  with 
this  church. 

49.  Patten,  Sherman,  and  Island  Falls.  —  Rev.  W.  T.  Sleeper,  12 
mos.,  $350. 

No  report  from  Mr.  Sleeper.  He  has  been  abroad  some  time 
soliciting  funds  to  complete  the  meeting-house  in  Patten,  which 
is  nearly  ready  for  dedication. 

50.  Pembroke  and  Perry. —  Mr.  Charles  II.  Pope,  3  mos.,  $84.  Con- 
gregation in  Pembroke,  100  ;  in  Perry,  130. 

Mr.  Pope  was  warmly  received  by  both  of  these  feeble  church- 
es, and  they  assumed  the  entire  expense  of  the  mission.  They 
would  be  glad  to  retain  him  as  their  minister,  but  he  regards 
himself  as  consecrated  to  the  missionary  work  on  the  Pacific 
Coast. 

51.  Phippsbubg. — Rev.  Francis  Norwood,  12  mos.,  $50. 


28 

52.  Princeton  and  Topsfield. — Rev.  C.  L.  Nichols,  12  mos.,  $138  Con- 
gregation in  Princeton,  80.  Conversions,  10.  Added  to  the  church  by  pro- 
fession. 8 ;  letter,  2.     Donations  to  M.  M.  Society,  $25  ;  other  objects,  $45. 

The  first  six  months  of  the  year  Mr.  ,N.  confined  his  labors  to 
Princeton ;  the  last  six  months  he  preached  in  Topsfield  one- 
fourth  of  the  time.  Princeton  was  blessed  with  a  precious  re- 
vival in  the  autumn.  Both  these  towns  are  interesting  and  hope- 
ful fields  for  missionary  labor. 

53.  Robbinston. — Rev.  G.  B.  Richardson,  12  mos..  $200.  Congregation, 
125.     Conversions,  2. 

This  church  is  distinguished  for  the  constancy  with  which  it 
sustains  public  worship  and  other  means  of  grace  even  when 
without  a  minister.  Its  pecuniary  strength  is  much  reduced  by 
emigration,  and  missionary  aid  is  needed.  It  would  not  be  easy 
to  find  a  church  more  worthy  of  it. 

54.  Rockport. — Rev.  J.  E.  M.  Wright,  6  mos.,  $100.  Congregation,  75. 
Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $13  ;  other  objects,  $22. 

Mr.  Wright  has  been  in  the  army  as  chaplain  during  the  year, 
but  the  pulpit  has  been  supplied  thirty-eight  Sabbaths  by  sundry 
persons  ;  about  three  months  by  Mr.  Charles  E.  Brastow.  Mr. 
"Wright  has  asked  and  received  a  dismission,  much  to  the  regret 
of  his  people. 

55.  Springfield  and  Carroll. — Mr.  Henry  Farrar,  If  mos.,  $13. 

56.  Standish. — Rev.  Calvin  Chapman,  12  mos.,  $125.  Congregation,  70. 
Contributions  to  M.  M.  S.,  $24;  other  objects,  $23. 

57.  Strong. — Rev.  Jonas  Burnham,  12  mos.,  $125.  Congregation,  125. 
Added  to  the  church  by  letter,  5..  Sabbath  School  as  large  as  the  congrega- 
tion. Of  the  123  members  of  the  church,  55  are  reported  as  absent.  Con- 
tributions to  M.  M.  S.,  $14 ;  other  objects,  $11.     Raised  for  S.  Schools,  $50. 

58.  Stow,  Chatham,  and  Sweden. — Rev.  E.  B.  Pike,  12  mos.,  $100. 
Mr.  Pike  preaches  half  the  time  to  the  church  in  Stow  and  Chatham,  and 
half  to  that  in  Sweden.  Congregation  in  Stow  and  Chatham,  95.  Conver- 
sions, 3.  Added  to  the  church  by  profession,  3  ;  letter,  2.  Contributions  to 
M.  M.  S.,  $7.^50 ;  other  objects,  $30.75. 

The  fruits  of  the  revival  of  the  preceding  year  in  Stow  and 
Chatham  are  represented  as  occasion  of  gratitude  and  joy.  The 
Sabbath  School  is  as  large  as  the  congregation,  nearly  every 
member  of  the  church  attending  either  as  teachers  or  scholars. 


29 

Congregation  is  Sweden,  80.  Sabbath  School,  80.  Contribu- 
tions to  M.  M.  S.,  $10;  other  objects,  §10.  It  is  an  unusual  and 
interesting  fact  that  in  the  last  three  churches  mentioned,  the 
Sabbath  Schools  are  reported  as  large  as  the  congregation. 

59.  St.  Albans,  Kenduskeag,  and  Plymouth.  —  Rev.  Wm,  S.  Sewall, 
12  mos.,  $195. 

Mr.  Sewall  preaches  half  the  time  in  St.  Albans,  one-fourth  in 
each  of  the  other  places.  The  three  congregations  amount  to 
225.  One  conversion  in  St.  A.  Five  added  to  the  church  by 
profession — three  of  whom  were  the  children  of  the  acting  pas- 
tor. Contributions  in  St.  A.  for  M.  M.  S.,  $15.90 ;  other  objects, 
§50.     In  Plymouth,  M.  M.  S.,  $G;  other  objects,  $48. 

60.  Scmner  and  IIartford. — Rev.  B.  G.  Willey,  12  mos.,  $50.  Congre- 
gation, 143.  Weekly  prayer-meeting,  50— an  unusual  proportion  of  the  con- 
gregation. Added  to  the  church  by  profession,  3.  Contributions  to  M.  M. 
S.,  $20  ;  other  objects,  §83. 

61.  Temple. — Rev.  Simeon  Hackett,  12  mos.,  $125.  Congregation,  100. 
Contributions  to  M.  M.  S.,  $18 ;  Foreign  Missions,  $5. 

62.  Turner.  —  Rev.  Stacy  Fowler,  12  mos.,  $75.  Congregation,  150. 
Added  to  the  church  by  profession,  3  ;  letter,  1.     Contributions,  $50. 

This  church  no  longer  asks  aid  of  the  M.  M.  S.  Some  special 
religious  interest  prevails  here  at  the  present  time. 

63.  Union  and  Washington. — Rev.  F.  V.  Norcross,  12  mos.,  $125.  Mr. 
N.  preaches  three-fourths  of  the  time  in  Union,  one-fourth  in  Washington. 
Congregation  in  each  place,  120.  Conversions,  2.  Added  to  the  church  in 
U.  by  letter,  1 ;  in  W.  by  profession,  1.  Donations  in  U.,  forM.  M.  S.,  $20.50  ; 
other  objects,  $21.05. 

The  pastor  is  greatly  encouraged  by  the  hopeful  conversion 
of  two  young  men,  who  promise  to  become  efficient  helpers. 

64.  Veazie,  Orono,  and  Upper  Stillwater.  —  Rev.  Smith  Baker,  Jr., 
9^  mos.,  $139.  Congregation  at  Veazie,  120  ;  Orono,  150.  Conversions,  5. 
Added  to  the  church,  1. 

Mr.  Smith  now  confines  his  labors  to  Veazie  and  Orono. 

65.  Weld. — Rev.  Stephen  Titcomb,  12  mos.,  $100.  Congregation,  75. 
Contributions  to  M.  M.  S.,  $14.75;  other  objects,  $52.75. 

The  house  of  worship  is  to  be  taken  down  to  be  removed,  and 


30 

rebuilt  in  a  more  central  place.     Charitable  aid  is  needed  in  this 
enterprise. 

66.  West  Minot. —  Rev.  Horatio  Ilsley,  12  nios.,  $100.  Congregation, 
150.     Added  to  the  church  by  profession,  2 ;  letter,  3.     Donations,  $106.65  . 

"  The  attendance  upon  the  means  of  grace  has  been  unusually 

good  during  the  year."     Sabbath  School  never  so  flourishing. 

67.  Whitxeyville  axd  Northfield. —  Mr.  Joseph  Danielson,  2^  nios., 
$36. 

68.  Wiltox. — Rev.  John  Lawrence,  12  mos.,  $150.  Added  to  the  church 
by  profession,  1 ;  letter,  4.  Donations  to  M.  M.  S.,  $37 ;  Foreign  Missions, 
$55 ;  other  objects,  $73. 

69.  Windham. — Rev.  Luther  Wiswall,  12  mos., 


70.  Woolwich. — Rev.  Charles  Packard,  11  mos.,  $91.67.  Congregation, 
120.  Conversions,  56.  Added  to  church  by  profession  29 ;  by  letter,  1. 
Eleven  stand  propounded.  Others  expected  soon  to  unite.  Donations  to  M. 
M.  S.,  $20  ;  other  objects,  $72. 

This  has  been  one  of  the  most  favored  churches  in  the  State 
the  past  year.     More  of  this  hereafter. 

71.  Vassalboeo',  North.  —  Rev.  John  Dinsmore,  12  mos.,  $100.  Con- 
gregation, 125.  Sabbath  School,  125.  Conversions,  5.  Given  to  M.  M.  S., 
$10.  No  Congregational  church  here,  but  12  members  of  other  Congrega- 
tional churches  residing  here. 

Our  missionary  regards  this  as  a  hopeful  field.  It  is  a  place 
of  large  business,  and  with  proper  culture  may  soon  be  able  to 
support  Christian  ordinances. 


SUMMARY. 


Seventy  one  missionaries  have  been  employed  during  the  past 
year,  of  whom  fifty-six  are  ordained  ministers.  Thirty-seven 
had  missions  extending  through  the  year — thirteen  from  six  to 
eleven  months,  and  twenty-one  a  less  time.  The  whole  time  of 
service  is  fifty-three  years  and  six  months ;  and  that  portion  for 
which  they  have  been  compensated  by  this  society,  about  twenty- 
one  years.  Eighty-five  feeble  churches  have  been  aided  in  sup- 
porting the  ordinances  of  religion,  and  missionaries  have  labored 
in  five  or  six  places  where  there  is  no  Congregational  church. 
The  number  of  fields  occupied  has  been  less  than  the  previous 
year  simply  because  suitable  laborers  could  not  be  found. 

The  number  of  hopeful  conversions,  so  far  as  reported,  is  285. 
Additions  to  the  churches  by  profession  130,  by  letter  30,  in  all 
100.  The  amount  contributed  by  these  churches  and  societies 
for  charitable  purposes,  so  far  as  reported,  is  $2798.15 — of  which 
§075  43  were  for  the  Maine  Missionary  Society.  The  aggregate 
congregations  reported  amount  to  5289. 

But  these  statistics  are  exceedingly  incomplete  on  account  of 
defective  returns.  From  thirty  stations,  there  is  no  report  of 
the  attendance  upon  public  worship.  From  thirty-seven,  there 
is  no  account  of  contributions  to  Home  Missions,  and  thirty  six 
make  no  report  for  other  objects.  Thirty  do  not  report  a  dollar 
for  any  charitabe  object.  Whether  this  is  the  fault  of  the 
churches  in  withholding  till  it  "  tends  to  poverty,''  or  of  the  re- 


32 

porters,  or  whether  it  is  to  be  divided  between  them,  does  not 
appear.  In  any  case  it  is  an  evil  which  should  be  hereafter 
corrected. 


THE   TKEASTJRY. 

At  the  last  annual  meeting  Hon.  Asa  Eedington  was  re-elect- 
ed to  the  office  of  Treasurer — an  office  he  filled  with  signal 
ability  and  fidelity.  After  a  few  weeks  he  resigned  the  office, 
and  it  became  necessary  for  the  Trustees  to  provide  another 
man  to  fill  it.  Joshua  Maxwell,  Esq.,  of  Portland,  was  chosen  to 
take  charge  of  the  financial  affairs  of  the  society  the  remainder 
of  the  year.  With  great  generosity  he  has  faithfully  discharged 
the  duties  of  Treasurer  as  a  gratuity. 

From  his  report  it  appears  that  the  balance  on  hand  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  year  was  $432.13.  There  have  been  received  in  lega- 
cies, $1377.58 ;  in  donations  and  contributions,  $9694.81 ;  income 
from  permanent  fund,  $1496.94  ;  from  other  sources,  $73.  The 
whole  amount  is  $13,074.46,  which  constitutes  the  available 
funds  for  the  year  just  closed.  Of  this  sum  $9616.32  have  been 
paid  to  the  missionaries.  The  Treasurer's  report  show's  how 
the  balance  of  receipts  has  been  disposed  of.  There  is  left  in 
the  hands  of  the  Treasurer  $524.93. 

Orders  have  recently  been  drawn  on  the  Treasurer  in  behalf 
of  the  missionaries  to  the  amount  of  2490.97,  which  is  the  entire 
indebtedness  of  the  society  to  these  laborers  in  the  vineyard. 
This  will  all  be  paid  the  present  week,  if  the  funds  come  in  as  on 
former  anniversary  occasions.*  There  is  pledged  to  the  mission- 
aries, for  future  future  labor,  only  $830.  The  available  funds  of 
the  society  have  been  $1624.75  more  than  last  year.  There  has 
been  no  necessity  of  hiring  money,  and  $500  have  been  added  to 
the  permanent  funds. 

*  Instead  of  commencing;  the  new  year  in  debt,  as  is  not  uncommon,  the  Treasurer  has 
loaned  for  three  months,  $3000. 


33 

EEVIVALS. 

It  is  cause  of  devout  thankfulness  and  joy,  that  amidst  the 
upheaval  and  intense  excitement  of  the  nation,  in  the  terrible 
war  in  which  we  have  been  involved,  God  has  not  forsaken  the 
churches.  In  the  opening  of  this  scene  of  blood  and  carnage, 
it  was  an  anxious  inquiry,  Can  we  reasonably  expect,  while  en- 
gaged in  this  work  of  mutual  slaughter,  that  the  Divine  Spirit 
will  be  poured  upon  the  people  to  multiply  converts,  and  en- 
large the  churches  ?  But  we  have  learned,  so  wonderful  is  the 
grace  of  God,  that  while  men  are  engaged  in  the  work  of  de- 
struction, the  work  of  salvation  may  go  steadily  forward.  God's 
purposes  of  mercy  will  not  be  frustrated. 

The  past  year,  in  some  parts  of  our  land,  has  been  distin- 
guished by  glorious  revivals.  Nor  have  our  mission  churches  in 
Maine  been  wholly  passed  by.  Gentle  dews  have  been  distilled 
on  a  goodly  number,  and  several  have  had  large  refreshings  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord.  The  churches  most  extensively 
blessed,  are  those  of  Princeton,  Casco,  Naples,  Limington, 
Brownfield,  Lovell,  and  Woolwich. 

The  church  in  Woolwich  is  one  of  the  early  churches  of  this 
State,  having  been  organized  one  century  ago  the  12th  instant. 
But  it  had  so  declined  as  to  need  aid  in  sustaining  Christian  or- 
dinances. Eev.  Charles  Packard  commenced  labors  there  last 
August.  "  The  week  of  prayer"  was  observed  at  the  opening  of 
the  year,  and  was  followed  with  rich  displays  of  Divine  grace. 
No  foreign  aid  was  employed,  and  yet  the  good  work  went  for- 
ward till  eighty  souls  hoped  they  were  born  of  God— fifty-six  of 
whom  belonged  to  Congregational  families.  Twenty-nine  have 
already  united  with  the  church,  and  eleven  stand  propounded; 
Nearly  all  the  young  people  of  the  society  have  shared  in  the 
work,  and  a  number  of  the  middle  aged.  Eight  family  altars 
have  been  erected. 

The  work  in  Lovell  has  been  still  more  extensive.     It  occured 
in  connection  with  the  labors  of  Eev.   John  TJ.  Parsons.     The 
3 


34 

Work  is  represented  as  bearing  the  marks  of  a  genuine  work  of 
grace.  About  seventy,  connected  with  the  Congregational 
Society  have  hope.  "  Fifty-one  have  united  with  the  church  by 
profession,  five  by  letter,  including  the  child  of  eleven,  and  the 
man  of  seventy-five — the  oldest  and  the  youngest  giving  equally 
satisfactory  evidence  that  they  had  been  renewed  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Thirteen  family  altars  have  been  erected,  and  the  future 
prospects  of  the  church  are  bright  and  hopeful. 

North  Waterford  was  for  a  few  years,  though  not  for  the  last 
year  or  two,  a  missionary  station  of  this  society,  although  no 
church  had  been  organized.  Mr.  Parsons  labored  there  a  short 
time  in  the  early  Spring.  The  Holy  Spirit  attended  the  word 
preached,  and  some  eighty  persons  are  reported  as  hopeful  con- 
verts.* A  commodious  house  of  worship  was  erected  a  few 
years  since.  A  church  has  been  organized  of  members  dis- 
missed for  this  purpose,  from  the  church  of  Eev.  Mr.  Douglass? 
in  the  south  part  of  that  town.  Additions  from  among  the 
recent  converts  have  been  made,  and  the  church  now  consists  of 
sixty  members.  A  flourishing  Sabbath  school  has  been  estab- 
lished, five  hundred  dollars  have  been  subscribed  for  preaching, 
and  they  are  now  ready  to  settle  a  pastor  as  soon  as  a  suitable 
man  can  be  obtained.  They  have  already  made  application  to 
this  society  for  aid  in  sustaining  the  ordinances  of  religion. 

The  church  in  Turner  has  gathered  such  strength  as  no  longer 
to  ask  aid  in  the  support  of  their  ministers. 


EMBARRASSMENTS. 

The  principal  one  is  the  want  of  more  preachers,  the  spring- 
tide of  whose  piety  shall  rise  so  high  that  they  can  cheerfully 
labor  in  uninviting  fields — men  who  shall  have  more  of  Paul's 
burning  zeal  to  preach  the  gospel  "not  where  Christ  is  named" — 
who  shall  "  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers."     It  costs  little 

*  These,  added  to  those  reported  by  the  missionaries,  make  the  number  of  hopeful  oonverts, 
three  hundred  and  forty. 


35 

self-denial  to  preach  the  gospel  to  well  established  churches, 
reared  by  the  labor  of  other  hands,  where  society  is  enlightened 
and  refined.  But  to  go  where  society  is  to  be  moulded,  churches 
formed,  and  there  amidst  coldness,  and  poverty,  and  neglect,  to 
lay  the  foundations  of  many  generation-— this  is  a  different  mat- 
ter, costing  the  abnegation  of  self,  and  the  high  consecration  of 
the  soul  to  Him,  "  who  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  be- 
came poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich!" 

This  is  the  class  of  men  we  need— more  of  whom  we  must 
have,  before  the  gospel  shall  be  preached  in  all  our  waste  places— 
before  "the  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad,  and 
the  desert  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose." 

But  from  whence  are  they  to  come?  The  classes  in  our  theo- 
logical seminaries  are  small.  The  proportion  of  the  pious  young 
men  in  our  colleges,  who  intend  to  enter  the  ministry  is  much 
less  than  in  former  years.  The  state  of  the  country  has  called 
a  large  number  of  preachers  and  students  to  the  camp  and  the 
hospital.  This  state  of  things  calls  loudly  upon  the  churches  to 
abound  in  prayer  that  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  would  send  forth 
laborers  into  his  harvest— men  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
made  wise  to  win  souls. 

Then  to  encourage  young  men  of  piety  and  culture  to  enter 
the  ministry,  a  far  more  liberal  support  should  be  afforded  them. 
It  is  a  small  matter  for  the  prosperous  Christian  to  cast  his 
annual  pittance  into  the  missionary  box  compared  with  what  it 
is  for  his  christian  brother  to  toil  through  the  year  amidst  the 
privations  and  hardships  of  some  distant  outpost  of  Zion.  The 
self-denial  should  be  more  equally  divided  between  these  breth- 
ren, and  the  former  give  more  largely  for  the  support  and  com- 
fort of  the  latter. 

This  want  of  ministers  presses  hard.  It  is  felt  in  the  dimin- 
ished number  of  preachers  which  the  Trustees  have  been  enabled 
to  find  for  the  work  entrusted  to  their  supervision.  The  calls 
for  men  have  been  frequent  and  urgent,  when  it  has  been  impos- 


36 

aible  to  respond  favorably.   The  right  men  were  not  to  be  found. 
It  is  believed  twenty  more  might  have  been  usefully  employed. 

While  the  loyalty  of  the  churches  to  the  government  of  the 
country  is  very  general  and  hearty,  it  is  a  humiliating  fact  that 
some  of  the  missionaries  have  been  seriously  annoyed  and  em- 
barrassed by  the  cropping  out  of  a  fierce  disloyal  spirit.  One 
of  them  writes  : — "  Many  have  so  much  respect  for  the  Sab- 
bath and  the  sacred  desk,  that  an  honest  prayer  for  the 
country,  its  officers,  its  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  shocks  them 
seriously.  They  are  so  prejudiced  and  embittered  by  partyism, 
that  a  minister  to  be  successful  with  them,  must  ignore  the  fact 
or  need  of  a  country."  Others  are  annoyed  in  the  same  way. 
In  the  application  for  aid,  and  as  an  argument  why  it  should  be 
granted,  the  Committee  of  one  church  say — "  We  live  among  a 
disloyal  and  God-defying  people." 

It  may  well  excite  our  surprise  that  any  Christian  man  should 
complain  that  his  minister  should  pray  for  his  country,  especially 
when  that  country  is  agitated  by  the  throes  of  a  mighty  rebel- 
lion. That  any  man  made  free  by  the  Son  of  God,  should  sym- 
pathise with  an  enterprise  whose  avowed  object  was  to  rear  an 
empire  founded  in  human  slavery — that  he  should  think  it  just 
ground  of  coolness  and  complaint  that  his  minister  should  pray 
that  such  flagitious  wickedness  should  not  prevail,  strikingly  il- 
lustrates the  amazing  capabilities  of  human  nature. 

But  against  even  this  form  of  human  imperfection  and  wick- 
edness the  missionary  is  called  to  contend.  His  duty,  however, 
is  obvious  and  imperative — to  pray  for  all  men — all  that  are  in 
authority.  Patriotism  and  religion  require  it  at  his  hand,  and 
no  human  authority  may  turn  him  aside. 


THE  WORK  TO  BE  DONE, 

Even  in  Maine,  is  a  great  wcrk.     "  Much  land  remains  to  be 
possessed."    With  a  territory  as  large  as  all  the  rest  of  New 


37 

England,  with  resources  sufficient  for  a  population  of  two  or 
three  millions,  there  rests  upon  the  present  generation  of  God's 
people  a  vast  responsibility  to  see  that  every  part  of  the  State  is 
supplied  with  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel.  Our  brethren  of 
other  denominations  will  perforin  a  part  of  the  work,  and  we 
will  rejoice  in  all  their  Christian  success.  But  there  will  still 
remain  room  and  work  for  the  Maine  Missionary  Society  suf- 
ficient to  tax  the  energies  of  all  our  churches.  With  their  in- 
creasing numbers  and  growing  wealth,  may  not  the  great  Master 
justly  look  for  more  liberal  returns  of  prayers,  and  property, 
and  influence — all  consecrated  to  the  high  purpose  of  thoroughly 
evangelizing  this  State?  It  was  a  startling  and  humiliating 
statement  of  the  last  annual  report,  that  "  For  the  last  seven 
years,  the  average  annual  donations  have  been  more  than  eigh- 
teen per  cent,  less  than  the  average  of  the  seven  immediately 
preceding  years."  Had  the  inspired  rule — "  according  that  a 
man  hath" — been  universally  adopted,  instead  of  eighteen  per 
cent,  less,  there  would  have  been,  at  least,  eighteen  per 
cent,  more  !  There  are  individual  members  in  our  churches 
whose  annual  income  is  several  times  more  than  the  entire  prop- 
erty of  some  individual  churches,  who  struggle  hard  to  enjoy 
the  privilege'  of  a  preached  gospel.  Could  these  wealthy  breth- 
ren visit  these  feeble  bands,  and  learn  the  story  of  their  weak- 
ness and  their  struggles,  they  would,  if  imbued  with  the  spirit  of 
Christ,  esteem  it  a  privilege  and  a  luxury  to  give  largely  of  their 
abundance  for  their  relief. 


AMERICAN  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 

Its  receipts  for  the  year  ending  April  1st,  were  $186,897.50 — 
less  by  §8,610.39  than  the  year  preceding.  This  falling  off  is  in 
legacies,  not  in  the  regular  annual  contributions,  which  have  been 
increased  $17,312.89,  or  14  per  cent.  Its  expenditures  exceed 
those  of  the  preceding  year  by  $10,639.81.     More  missionaries 


38 

hnve  been  employed — in  all  802.  Thirty-two  more  years  of 
labor  have  been  performed.  There  has  been  an  increase  in  the 
number  of  churches  that  have  reached  the  condition  of  self- 
support — in  the  contributions  for  benevolent  objects — in  the 
numbers  of  young  men  preparing  for  the  ministry;*  and,  what 
is  cause  for  special  thankfulness  to  God,  in  the  number  and 
power  of  revivals  of  religion,  and  the  hopeful  conversion  of 
souls  to  Christ. 

1  The  total  receipts  of  the  thirty-nine  years,  which  cover  the  en- 
tire history  of  the  society,  is  $4,559,485.98.  Ihe  total  years 
of  labor  is  23,796.  The  whole  number  of  additions  to  the 
churches,  182,702. 

This  is  a  great  work  to  be  accomplished  by  the  society  in 
about  one  generation,  calling  for  devout  gratitude  to  God.  Yet 
when  compared  with  what  men  accomplish  in  secular  pursuits, 
we  may  find  occasion  for  modesty  and  humiliation.  The  ex- 
pense of  the  late  war  for  two  days — perhaps  a  day  and  a  half — 
was  greater  than  the  expense  of  the  A.  H.  M.  Society  for  thirty- 
nine  years.  The  useless  and  extravagant  expenditures  of  the 
members  of  the  churches,  which  support  this  society,  would 
probably  amount  to  more  annually  than  they  have  given  to  this 
object  in  all  the  years  of  its  history. 

Is  it  not  time  for  the  church  to  come  up  higher,  and  plant  her- 
self upon  more  exalted  principle — that  of  a  full  consecration  to 
God  ?  She  is  not  her  own — precious  blood  has  been  shed  for 
her  ransom.  When  she  shall  have  perfectly  learned  the  divine 
art  of  living  not  unto  herself,  wonders  will  be  wrought,  which 
will  cast  into  the  shade  all  her  previous  achievements. 


OUK  COITNTKY 

Presents  a  field  for  religious  enterprise  of  deep  and  thrilling  in- 
terest.    God  has  crowned  our  arms  with  success.     Armed  re- 

*It  in  not  easy  to  reconcile  this  statement  with  other  accounts  on  the  subject  from  highly 
responsible  sources. 


39 

bellion  is  overthrown.  The  clarion  of  peace  sounds  through  the 
land.  The  wall  of  partition  between  the  North  and  South,  more 
formidable  than  that  which  separates  China  from  Tartary,  has 
been  broken  down,  and  the  whole  South  is  now  open  to  a  free 
gospel.  Four  millions  of  freedmen,  and  as  many  more  scarcely 
less  degraded  and  imbruted  by  slavery,  are  now  accessible  to 
the  gospel  of  Him  who  came  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives, 
and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound. 

Could  the  voice  of  God  to  the  American  Church  more  dis- 
tinctly or  imperatively  command — "  Go  ye  in  aud  possess  the 
land  ?  Go  speak  the  truth  in  love — enlighten  the  ignorant — 
reform  the  vicious — call  back  the  wandering — bind  up  the  bro- 
ken heart — speak  peace  to  the  penitent — point  perishing  millions 
to  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  bid  them  live." 

Shall  not  the  churches  of  Maine  bear  a  part  in  this  noble, 
God-like  work  ?  Can  they  not,  will  they  not,  in  addition  to  the 
care  of  their  own  poor,  bless  their  country  on  a  larger  scale  ? 
Now  that  the  immediate  and  pressing  wants  of  the  Government 
are  abated,  and  the  wants  of  the  suffering  soldiery  are  rapidly 
passing  away,  will  they  not  appropriate  a  liberal  portion  of  their 
income,  hitherto  bestowed  upon  those  objects,  to  the  sublime  pur- 
pose of  sending  the  pure  gospel  to  the  perishing  millions  of  the 
South  ?  Especially  will  not  they  whose  wealth  has  been  aug- 
mented by  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  during  the  convul- 
sions of  the  last  four  years,  give  for  this  purpose,  not  in  stinted 
measures,  but  as  God  has  prospered  them,  and  as  the  magni- 
tude of  the  cause  requires  ?  Will  not  our  young  men,  the  pre- 
cious sons  of  Zion,  gird  on  the  gospel  armor,  and  go  forth  and 
preach  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  in  this  open,  vast,  and 
needy  field. 

Let  the  church  respond  to  the  call  of  Providence,  and  come 
fully  up  to  the  demands  of  duty,  and  not  a  generation  shall  pass 
away  before  this  country  shall  reach  a  far  higher  plane  of  intel- 
lectual and  moral  elevation  than  ever  before.  Relieved  from 
the  incubus  which  has  hitherto  preyed  upon  her  vitals,  and  rising 


40 

as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race,  she  shall   ere  long  become  the 
light  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  all  lands. 

What  we  do  must  be  done  quickly.  Of  the  thirty-two  orig- 
inal members  of  this  society,  not  one  remains  among  the  living. 
Of  the  fifty-two  who  were  elected  members  immediately  after 
its  organization,  it  is  believed  that  only  one,  the  venerable  Dr. 
Jenks,  is  this  side  the  veil  which  separates  us  from  the  spirit 
world.  The  fathers,  where  are  they  ?  As  the  night  cometh 
in  which  no  man  can  work,  may  we  so  work  while  the  day  lasts, 
that  our  blessed  Lord  may  say  to  each  of  us — "  Well  done,  good 
and  faithful  servant." 


ANNUAL    MEETING. 


The  fifty-eighth  annual  meeting  of  the  Maine  Missionary 
Society  was  held  in  the  Second  Church,  (Rev.  Dr.  Carruthers,) 
in  Portland,  June  28,  1865.  Devotional  services  were  conducted 
by  the  President.  Sermon  by  Rev.  John  C.  Adams.  Text, — 
Amosviii:  11,  12.  The  Treasurer's  report  was  read  by  the 
President ;  and  that  of  the  Trustees  by  the  Secretary. 

On  the  acceptance  and  adoption  of  the  reports,  brief  and  spir- 
ited addresses  were  made  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Pond,  Carruthers, 
Willey,  Massie,  of  England,  Fellows,  Gates,  of  Iowa,  and 
Atkinson,  of  Oregon,  Brewer,  of  Mass.,  and  Carpenter. 

The  following  resolutions  were  adopted  : 

1.  On  motion  of  Dr.  Pond,  That  the  local  Conferences  of 
Maine  be  requested  to  appoint  committees,  one  in  each  of  their 
bodies,  to  assist  in  exploring  the  wants  of  each  Conference,  and 
thus  cooperate  with  the  Secretary  of  Maine  Missionary  Society 
in  carrying  forward  the  great  work  entrusted  to  its  hands. 

2.  On  motion  of  Dr.  Carruthers,  That  the  ministers  of  the 
churches,  —  especially  the  stronger  churches,  —  should  severally 
spend  two  weeks  of  each  year  in  visiting  the  different  sections 
of  the  home  missionary  field,  (the  churches  respectively  supply- 
ing their  pulpits  meanwhile,)  with  the  view  of  extending  the 
information  of  the  churches,  and  proportionately  increasing  the 
efficiency  of  the  Maine  Missionary  Society.  • 

A  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Treasurer  was  passed,  gratefully 
acknowledging  his  generous  and  gratuitous  services. 


42 

Eev.  A.  Fuller  was  chosen  a  committee  to  present  to  Eev.  J. 
C.  Adams  the  thanks  of  the  Society  for  his  sermon  delivered  on 
the  occasion,  and  request  a  copy  for  the  press. 

Officers  of  the  Society  for  the  ensuing  year  were  chosen. 

PRESIDENT. 

Eev.  GEOEGE  E.  ADAMS. 

VICE-PRESIDENT. 

Hon.  GEOEGE  E.  PATTEN. 

COR.  AND    REC  SECRETARY. 

Eev.  STEPHEN  THUESTON. 

TREASURER. 

JOSHUA  MAXWELL,  Esq. 

TRUSTEES. 

Rev.  GEO.  E.  ADAMS,  ex-officio.  Rev.  URIAH  BALKAM. 

Rev.  ENOCH  POND.  EBEN  STEELE.  Esq. 

Rev.  DAVID  SHEPLEY.  Dea.  J.  S.  WHEELWRIGHT. 

Rev.  STEPHEN  THURSTON.  Rev.  GEORGE  LEON  WALKER. 

Dea.  SAMUEL  ADAMS.  Rev.  WOOSTER  PARKER. 

Rev.  SETH  H.  KEELER. 

AUDITORS. 

HENRY  M.  PAYSON,  Esq.  WILLIAM  D.  LITTLE,  Esq. 

The  next  annual  meeting  is  to  be  held  with  the  Central  Church 
in  Bath,  the  fourth  Wednesday  of  June,  1866. 

PREACHERS. 

Rev.  ALEX.  McKENZIE,  First.        Rev.  GEORGE  W.  FIELD,  Second. 


TREASURER'S  REPORT. 


A  Condensed  Statement  of  the  Account  of  Hon.  Asa  <Red- 
ington  and  Joshua  Maxwell  Esq  as  f^^f'fJ^e 
Maine  Missionary  Society  from  June  f€,  s866,  to  June 
22,  1865. 


RECEIPTS. 


To  Cash  on  hand,  June  16,  1864,  -  "      -    $1  377  58 

"  Cash  received  as  Legacies,  -  "  9-6g4  8l 

"  Donations  and  Contributions,  -  _       1496  94 

"  Income  from  Permament  Funds  - 

«  Cash  received  from  Rev.  Stephen  Thurston,  for  Preach- 


$432  13 


60  00 


ino- while  on  duty,         -  ".  -.a  no— 12  642  33 

$13,074  46 


incr  while  on  amy,  - 

Cash°returned  by  F.  Southworth  for  over-payment,  - 


DISBURSEMENTS. 


By  payment  to  Missionaries  from  June  16,  1864,  to  June  22,    ^  ^  ^ 
1865,        -  -  "  "  "  _  '  55  30 

Cash  paid  for  Blank  Diplomas,  "  ■  214  47 


"  Cash  paid  for  printing  the  Annual  Report,  - 

«  Cash  Ppaid   Charles  \.  Lord    for  printing  Treasurer  s 

Monthly  Reports  of  Receipts,  etc.,      -  - 

«  Cash  allowed  for  Asa  Redington's  Bill  for  expenses  at 

«  AmSounrtPr°ertained  by  Asa~Redington  for  services  from 

June,  1863,  to  Aug.  5,  1864,      -  -  ~  .         " 

«  Cash  paid  Rev.  David  Shepley  for  services  as  Provisional 


137  50 

15  68 

552  73 

225  64 


Cashpa^Rev.  St'ephen  Thurston  for  _salary  _and  ex-  ygg  ^ 
penses  in  part,  -  40  17 
"  Government  Tax  on  Legacies,  -  .  25  00 
"  Cash  repaid  John  Storer,  Esq.,  -  15  o0 
"  Cash  repaid  William  Hobart,  -  '  .  2  50 
"  Cash  piid  Express  Company,  -  "  15  65 
"  Cash  paid  for  stationery,  -  -  "  ,,  T  355  05 
"  Cash  paid  Mrs.  Bourne  for  income  of  the  Sewall  Legacy, 
«  Cash  Said  for  U.  S.  Government  Bond  with  money  do- 
nated by  Henry  Darling  to  be  invested  into  Per-  ^  ^ 

manent  fund,            -           -                        "  524  93 . 

"  Cash  on  hand,  June  22,  1865,        -  $13,074  46 

Poetlattd,  June  26, 1865. 

We  have  examined  the  accounts  of  Joshua  £^&JdK^£33: 
the  foregoing  is  an  abstract,  and j^dthe  same_ °°™«?  ,c«    map    p^j  ^ 

showing  a  balance  of  five  hundred  and  tw^rtty  lour^V   p    f^xTLE,    J    Acting 
therein  set  forth.  g'  M'  paySON,  J  Auditors. 


DONATIONS 


From  June  76,  7861,  to  June  22,  7865. 


<  — « »  ► 


AROOSTOOK  CONFERENCE. 


Houlton, 

$40  00 

Burlington, 

13  77 

Lincoln, 

6 

00 

Linneus, 

5  00 

Patten, 

14 

(10 

County  Conference, 

16  50 

Island  Falls, 

I 

2 

50 

Sherman, 

3 

75 

$111  52 

Carroll  and  Springfield, 

10 

00 

CUMBERLAND  CONFERENCE. 

E.  Baldwin, 

2 

00 

South  Freeport, 

20  00 

Gray, 

26 

00 

Freeport, 

51  24 

Portland — Bethel  church  &  Soc. 

,    20 

00 

Gorham, 

132  33 

"          3d  church  &  Soc, 

220 

00 

Falmouth,  1st  Parish, 

53  00 

"        *High  St.  ch. 

&  Soc, 

28 

00 

2d        " 

15  00 

"          2d  Parish  ch 

.  &  Soc, 

421 

10 

Pownal, 

35  40 

"          Union  Miss. 

Circle, 

79 

00 

Cape  Elizabeth, 

20  00 

"          Mrs.  W., 

70 

oo 

Oak  Hill, 

20  00 

"          Legacy,  Miss 

i  Poole, 

50 

(-0 

Harpswell, 

5  00 

"          Donation, 

25 

00 

Yarmouth — Newell  Soc. 

5  00 

"          State  St.  ch. 

&  Soc, 

413 

15 

"            Central  ch.  &  Soc 

.,       90  00 

"          St.  Lawrence  St.  ch., 

20 

00 

"            1st  ch.  &  Soc, 

158  76 

West  Auburn, 

30 

00 

Mechanic  Falls, 

60  00 

Auburn— High  St., 

50 

00 

Topsham, 

2  00 

Standish, 

24 

50 

Brunswick, 

154  73 

Minot, 
Lewiston, 

11 

35 

50 
00 

Saccarappa, 

25  10 

Windham, 

7 

00 

$2,379  81 

FRANKLIN  CONFERENCE. 

Chesterville, 

5 

00 

Phillips, 

12  00 

Farming;  ton, 

157 

00 

Wilton, 

37  00 

Temple, 

8 

00 

County  Conference, 

25  00 

Weld, 
Strong, 

22 

18 

00 
06 

Industry, 

1  00 

New  Sharon, 

16 

05 

$301  11 

*High  Street  Church  took  up  its  collection  in  June,  amounting  to  $415  ;  but  it  was  not  in 
the  Treasurer's  hands  till  after  his  accounts  tor  the  year  had  been  audited. 


HANCOCK  CONFERENCE 


Ellsworth, 

66  00 

Bucksport, 

I>K'  an  Haute, 

2  00 

'1  renton, 

Castine, 

90  DS 

County  Conference, 

East  Brook8ville, 

13  60 

Amherst  &  Aurora, 

West  Brooksville, 

7   17 

Deer  I>le, 

15  00 

1 

Bluehill, 

30  70 

K  ENNEBEC  CONFERENCE. 

Kichmond, 

52  55 

Winslow, 

Gardiner, 

22  50 

Vassalboro, 

Augusta — So.  cb.  &  Soc, 

412  79 

County  Conference, 

Hafiowell, 

23  00 

PittStOD, 

Litchfield, 

9  10 

Wiuthrop, 

91  94 

LINCOLN  AND  SAGADAnOC  CONFERENCE. 

Bath— Winter  St.  ch.  &  Soc. 

,        278  00 

Phipsburg, 

"       Central  ch.  &  Soc, 

130  00 

Topsham, 

"        Individuals, 

200  00 

Union, 

Rockland, 

96  90 

Alna, 

Newcastle — 2d  ch.  &  Soc, 

80  00 

Boothbay, 

"            1st  ch.  &  Soc, 

6  50 

Woolwich, 

Warren, 

20  00 

Waldoboro, 

83  22 

OXFORD  CONFERENCE. 

County  Conrerence, 

21  00 

Bethel — 1st  ch.  &  Soc, 

Norway  Village — ch.  &  Soc 

20  00 

2d  ch.  &  Soc, 

"    "  1st  ch.  &  Soc, 

10  00 

South  Paris, 

Dixfield, 

5  00 

Oxford, 

Andover, 

20  00 

Turner, 

22  25 

East  Sumner, 

20  00 

PISCATAQUIS  CONFERENCE. 

County  Conference, 

43  50 

Abbott  &  Sangerville, 

Blanchard, 

14  45 

Atkinson, 

Monson, 

36  85 

Bradford — a  friend, 

Garland, 

37  00 

Brownville, 

16  60 

Foxcroft  &  Dover, 

39  67 

PENOBSCOT  CONFERENCE. 

Bangor— 1st  cb.  &  Soc,  272  98  Kenduskeag, 

Hammond  St.ch.  &  Soc.,140  63  Old  Town, 

"         Central  Ch.  &  Soc,        320  00  Veazie, 

"         Essex  Street, .  7  68  Dedham, 

East  Orrington,  16  00  Orono, 

Brewer  Village — cb.  &  Soc,  15  88 

"       1st  ch.  &  Soc,  18  46 

Hampden,  28  00 


SOMERSET  CONFERENCE. 


Norridgewock, 
St.  Albans, 
Mercer, 
Solon  Village, 
Madison, 
East  Madison, 


55  28 

20  10 

6  50 

6  43 

IS  00 

4  00 


Bingham, 
Skowhegan, 

Fairfield, 
Anson, 


173  00 
10  00 
8  75 
2  66 

$419  86 


136  25 
2  93 
6  00 

8  00 

$975  00 


20  55 

27 

50 

20 

50 

27 

3a 

8 

00 

20 

00 

$1018  49 


46 

26 

40 

00 

13 

00 

10 

00 

$227  50 


15  85 
5  00 
1  00 


$209  92 


20  00 

14 

40 

4 

00 

44 

48 

20 

00 

$922  51 


15 

00 

1 

00 

5 

00 

7 

50 

$138  81 


46 


UNION  CONFERENCE. 


Fryeburg, 

Otisfield, 

Lovell, 

Sweden, 

Bridgton — 1st  ch.  &  Soc, 

South  Bridgton, 


3G  00 
12  25 
22  54 
11  50 
30  30 
19  00 


Brownfield, 
Wa'erforti, 

Albany, 


5  00 
18  00 
21  00 

$175  59 


WALDO  CONFERENCE. 


Camden, 

Rockport, 

Belfast — 1st  ch.  &  Soc, 

North  Belfast, 

Stockton, 

Searsport — 1st  ch.  &  Soc, 


53  44 

13  00 

122  55 

7  00 

118  88 

126  40 


Searsport — 2d  ch.  &  Soc. 

Winterport, 

Freedom, 

County  Conference, 


WASHINGTON  CONFERENCE. 


County  Conference, 

East  Machias, 

Machias, 

Milltown  &  St.  Stephen, 

Princeton, 

Calais, 


21  50 
90  70 

117  37 
40  00 
53  75 

183  10 


Eastport, 
Robbiuston, 
Dennysville, 
County  Conference, 


28 

01 

22 

18 

10 

no 

9  00 

$510  46 


55 

00 

24 

50 

92 

03 

25 

04 

$702  99 


YORK   CONFERENCE. 


Wells-lst  ch.  &  Soc, 
"        2d  ch.  &  Soc, 
Kittery, 
Biddeford, 
Lyman, 
Acton, 
Saco, 

Kennebunk— 2d  ch.  &  Soc, 
"  1st  ch.  &  Soc, 

Kennebunkport— So.  ch.  &  Soc  , 
"  1st  ch.  &  Soc, 


58  00     Alfred, 

17  00    South  Berwick, 

23  00     Buxton, 

North  Buxton, 

San  ford, 

Elliot, 

Lebanon, 

Limington, 

County  Conference, 


40  00 

33  28 
19  50 

125  00 
158  00 

27  50 

34  00 

28  25 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


13 

00 

180 

57 

13 

71 

26 

00 

119 

50 

6 

40 

42 

25 

14 

00 

23 

10 

$1000  06 


Newburyport,    Mass. — William 

Thurston  and  Wife,  Annuity,  8  00 
Worcester,  Mass.— Rev.S.Sweetsir,30  00 
Chelsea,  Mass.— A  friend,  5  00 

Ohio— Mrs.  M.  A.  Garland,  1  00 

New  York— A  friend,  1  00 

Hanover,  N.  H.— A  friend,  20  00 

Andover,Mass.— Prof.  E.  C.  Smyth,10  00 
Philadelphia— A  friend,  2  00 


Constantinople,  Turkey — A  friend,  2  00 
State  Conference  at  Searsport,  101  40 
Bucksport — Dea.    Darling,    for 

permament  fund,  500  00 

Legacies  from  sundry  persons,  1  377  58 
Rev.  S.  Thurston,  for  preaching,    60  00 

$2,117  98 


TOTAL. 


Amount  of  Donations,  as  above, 
Legacies, 


9,839  99 
1,377  58 

$11,217  57 


LIFE  MEMBERS 

'Recognized  since  t?ie  last  Annual  Report. 


Howard,  Gen.  0.  0.,  Augusta. 

Lord,  Miss  Annie  P.,  do 

Strout,  Miss  Addie,  Brunswick' 

Furbush,  Mrs.  Maria,  do 

Smyth,  Miss  Mary  C,  do 

Kilgore,  Mrs.  Harriet  L.,  Bridgton. 

Kimball,  Mrs.  Elizabeth,  Bath. 

Adams,  Israel,  Bethel. 

Parker,  Mrs.  Eliza,  do 

Pond,  Mis3  Elizabeth  M.,  Bangor. 

Blanchard,  Mrs.  Melissa,  Blanchard. 

Carter,  James  M.,  Bucksport. 

Carter,  Samuel,  do 

Rounds,  Miss  Mary,  Buxton. 

Eastman,  C.  S.,  Boston. 

Rockwood,  Mrs.  Caroline,  Calais. 
Perkins,  Rev.  Geo.  A.,    Constantinople. 

Prince,  Carrol  D.,  Cumberland. 

Whittier,  Rev.  Charles,  Dennysville. 

Foster,  Dea.  S.  T.,  E.  Machias. 

Seavey,  Mrs.  Elmira,  do 

Seavey,  Miss  Martha  0.,  do 

Pine,  Mrs.  Samuel,  Eastport. 

Croan,  Mrs.  Mary,  do 

Getchell,  Mrs.  Joshua,  Exeter,  N.  H. 

Getchell,  Miss,  do 

Fairbanks,  Miss  J.  W.,  Farmington. 

Butler,  Miss  Carrie,  do 

Smith,  Dea.  James,  Garland. 

Smith,  Miss  Sylvina,  Eallowell. 

Emerson,  Miss  Delia,  do 
Smith,  J.,                        Kenncbunkport. 

Ellis,  Rev.  Thomas  L.,  Kittery. 


Lord,  Noah  B.,  Lebanon , 

Lord,  Mrs  Sophronia  D.,  do 

Ward,  Stephen  G.,  Linneus. 
Kytc,  Mrs.  Emily  T.,      Mechanic  Falls. 

Bridgham,  James  G.,  do 

Weston,  Mrs.  Lucilla  P.,  Madison. 

Longfellow,  Mr.  Cephas,  Machias, 

Boyden,  Mrs.  Anne,  do 
Bennett,  Edwin,         Newmarket,  N.  H. 

Bennett,  Mrs.  Edwin,  do 

Foss,  Miss  Drusilla,  Oak  Hill. 

*  Mitchell,  William  C,  Portland. 

Thurston,  Stephen  R.,  do 

Marr,  Sylvester,  do 

Payson,  Charles,  do 

Walton,  Rev.  J.  E.,  do 

Walton,  Mrs.  Helen  M.,  do 

Chase,  Miss  Fannie  L.,  do 

Twitchell,  Mrs.  Margaret  J.,  do 

Woodbury,  Martha  D.,  do 

Emery,  S.irah  A.,  do 

Woodbury,  Mrs.  E'izabeth  T.,  do 

Perkins,  Mrs.  Eliza  B.,  do 

Clark,  D.  W.,  do 

Thurston,  William,  do 

Loring,  David  C,  do 

Loring,  George,  do 

Loring,  Margaret,  do 

Loring,  David  E.,  do 

Loring,  Haimah  E.,  do 

Hartshorn,  Kev.  V.  J.,  do 

Brock,  Mrs.  George,  do 

Maverick,  Charles  E.,  do 


48 


Fickett,  Isaac, 

Portland. 

Larrabee,  Robert  J.  D., 

do 

McDowell,  Mrs.  Man*  C, 

do 

Perry,  Miss  Jane  E., 

do 

Bailey,  Mrs.  ElizabetrvD. 
Fickett,  Mrs.  Margare* 

do 

do 

Burnham,  Mrs.  George, 

do 

Woodbury,  Mrs.  Mary  R., 

do 

Richardson,  Bev.  G.  B., 

Robbinston. 

Hayes,  Dea.  David, 

Saccarappa. 

Jordan,  Dea.  Dominicus, 

Saco. 

Windsor,  Mrs.  Lucy  Ellen,               do 

Sawyer,  Dea.  Charles  C, 

do 

Wythe,  Mrs.  Mary  L.,  San  Andries,  Cal. 

Hall,  William  F., 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Hall,  Mrs.  William  F., 

do 

Barker,  Miss  Ann, 

So.  Berwick. 

Yeaton,  Miss  Carrie, 

do 

Plummer,  J.  H., 

do 

Lincoln,  Miss  Ann, 

do 

Wentworth,  Mrs.  Charles, 
Norton,  Dea.  Charles  E., 
Plummer,  Mrs.  J.  H., 
French,  Capt.  J.  R., 
Seidus,  Dea.  Henr}', 
Baker,  Rev.  Smith, 
Kimball,  Mary  A.  F., 
Drummond,  Charles  U., 
Dunbar,  John  P., 
Britton,  Isaac, 
Barrett,  Alden, 
Cobb,  Catharine, 
Parsons,  Mrs.  Pamelia, 
Lawrence,  Rev.  John, 
Trott,  Dea.  Jotham, 
Blanchard,  Mrs.  Adelaide 
Cleaves,  Mrs.  Mary, 
Loring,  Mrs.  Lucy  E., 
Brown,  Mrs.  Ellen  B., 
Howard,  Major  C.  H., 


So.  Berwick- 
do 
do 
Stockton. 
Union. 
Veazie. 
Wells. 
Winslow. 
do 
do 
do 
do 
Wilton, 
do 
Woolwich. 
S.,  Yarmouth. 
do 
do 
do 
do 


BX7146.M2A7  1865 

A  sermon,  preached  at  the  anniversary  of 


1    1012  00036  2923 


